Mathura (Uttar Pradesh)

In a bizarre incident, two children, aged 11 and 9 years, ran away from home because they were 'bored with online classes and upset at being scolded by parents'.

The children hitched a ride to Bawana in Delhi where a travel agent became suspicious on seeing the children unescorted.

He questioned them about their family and then informed the police.

 The children confessed that they wanted to go to a residential school for underprivileged children in Uttarakhand's Rishikesh where "they would not have to pay fees".

The children packed their clothes and shoes and left home in the wee hours of Saturday.

Kolahar chowki Sub Inspector Arun Tevatia, said that the children's parents found them missing in the morning and an FIR was lodged at the Kolahar police station under section 363 (kidnapping).

The CCTV footage showed the children walking towards the highway.

 Mathura Superintendent of Police (rural) Shirish Chandra said that they got a call from an unknown number about the children and informed the parents.

 A police team brought back the children from Delhi.

 "The kids told us that they were getting bored with online classes. They were also scolded at home, so they decided to study in a residential school," said the SP.

 The parents, who run two degree colleges in Vrindavan, are now being counselled on how to identify signs of stress in kids during lockdown.