Six days after a 14-year-old boy went missing, the Darjeeling police are no closer to finding him, despite a large-scale search operation and a public appeal and the announcement of a Rs 2 lakh reward for any credible information on his whereabouts.

The authorities have stepped up security along the India-Nepal border and are also searching for a van reportedly used in the alleged abduction of the boy from a forest village in the district. Search operations are underway in Siliguri and adjacent areas, including Rangpo, Kalimpong, Damdim and Malbazar.

The boy has been missing since August 23, allegedly abducted while he was fishing with friends near a bridge. The incident has sparked widespread concern.

Darjeeling’s Superintendent of Police (SP) Praween Prakash told mediapersons on Friday, “Our only focus is to find the boy and reunite him with his family. However, there is no trace of him till now. There has been no ransom call.”

The absence of any demand for ransom has added to the mystery and the family’s anguish.

The boy’s sister told The Indian Express, “It has been more than six days… There is no trace of my brother. I miss him every second,” she told Express.

She described the family’s ordeal as a “deep void”, saying that finding her brother would be a “rebirth for our family.”

“The police are trying… But it is strange that despite the announcement of a Rs 2 lakh reward, they haven’t got any leads,” she added.

On August 24, hundreds of residents in the village blocked National Highway-10 (NH-10) for over three hours, demanding swift police action.

The Darjeeling Police later announced a reward of 2 lakh for any information leading to the boy’s safe return. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has also been formed to probe the case. The police have also circulated a description of the boy and released contact numbers for the public to share information. The identity of any informant would be kept confidential, officers said.

The family has also appealed to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Siliguri Mayor Gautam Deb to intervene and help expedite the search for the missing boy.