Unhappy over online classes, Surat boy runs off to Mumbai

A 14-year-old boy ran awayfrom his home in Gujarat's Surat, leaving behind a note forhis family which said that he was not able to understandanything taught during the online classes of his school,police said on Thursday.

The Class 8 boy left his home on Monday afternoon andreached his uncle's place in Bhayandar near Mumbai, around 270kilometers from his residence in Rander area of Surat, theysaid.

''During the probe, police came to know that the boyand his parents lived in Bhayandar till around four years backand the teenager misses his friends there and does not feelcomfortable in Surat,'' inspector of Rander police station, J PJadeja, said.

The boy left his home in Surat when his parents wereaway. After failing to find him, his father lodged a missingperson's complaint at Rander police station, he said.

Jadeja said that before leaving, the teen left ahand-written note, which read: ''Mummy and Papa, I troubled youa lot in the past. But Now, I am going far away. I cannotunderstand anything which is taught through online classes.

Sorry for all the trouble.'' Except for Classes 10 and 12, schools in Gujarat havebeen imparting education through online mode due to thecoronavirus pandemic.

''When we launched a search for the boy, his uncle, whostill lives at Bhayandar, called the minor's father onWednesday to inform him that the boy has reached his place andis safe at home. After being informed about it, his parentshave left Surat to meet him,'' Jadeja said.

Police, however, did not specify how the boy reachedBhayandar.

During the investigation, police found that the familyhad shifted from Bhayandar to Surat around four years back andthe boy still misses his childhood days, the inspector said.

His father is a small-time supplier of tobacco andfood items in Surat.

''Being unable to understand the online classes is oneof the reasons why the boy took this step. Another reason isthat he was not feeling comfortable in Surat, as he had spenthis entire childhood in Bhayandar,'' Jadeja said.