Assam Rifles Rescues Missing 10-Year-Old Boy from Train in Tripura, Reunites Him with Family in Dimapur

Agartala/Tripura, August 25, 2026: Assam Rifles personnel in Tripura traced and safeguarded a missing 10-year-old boy from Dimapur, Nagaland, after he was spotted travelling alone on a train and was later reunited with his family through a coordinated effort involving the force and local police.

The child, identified as Joseph Mao of Neisatuo Colony in Dimapur, had been reported missing from home on August 22, 2026. His safe recovery came a day later, on August 23, when Rifleman Lawrance Hrangkhawl noticed the boy alone on a train originating from Dimapur while it was in Tripura. The child was carrying a school bag, but there was no adult accompanying him.

According to the account provided by Assam Rifles, the rifleman quickly realised that something was wrong when the boy was unable to give his full home address or explain how he had boarded the train. He immediately informed the Adjutant and took the child to the Assam Rifles location at Radhanagar in Tripura, near Agartala, where he could be kept safe while verification began.

Personnel at the Radhanagar facility then started tracing the boy’s identity and family. During this process, they found a missing-person appeal that had been shared on Instagram. The post matched the child’s details and confirmed that he was Joseph Mao. His parents were contacted soon after and told that their son had been found safe and was in the care of Assam Rifles.

Local police were also informed so that the handover could be handled properly and the child could be returned home through the required formalities. Authorities did not disclose any further details about how the boy ended up boarding the train alone.

In its statement on the incident, Assam Rifles described the response as an example of its commitment to assisting the public alongside its security duties. The force said the quick humanitarian action helped secure the child’s recovery and reunion with his family while reducing the risk of harm. It also referred to the values of operational readiness, community service and “Service Before Self.”

The episode reflects the wider role Assam Rifles personnel often play in the Northeast, where they are not only deployed in sensitive border and counter-insurgency environments but also frequently act as first responders in civilian emergencies. In this case, a single alert observation by a rifleman, followed by prompt verification using a social media missing-person appeal, led to a swift resolution.

For Joseph Mao’s family in Dimapur, the episode that began on August 22 ended within a short time with relief and reunion. For Assam Rifles, the incident became another example of the force’s public-facing role in the region, where security responsibilities often overlap with immediate humanitarian intervention.