Kozhikode: Investigation into the disappearance of two girls from West Bengal, who went missing from Villiappally near Vadakara in Kozhikode district, has taken a new turn with police receiving information that the duo may have reached Jammu and Kashmir.

Police sources said preliminary inputs suggest that the girls were heading towards Kashmir after boarding a Delhi-bound train from Kerala. Two police officials have already reached Delhi and are now proceeding to Jammu and Kashmir to verify whether the girls traced there are the missing minors from Kozhikode district.

The missing girls have been identified as Nargis Khathoon (12), daughter of Kolkata native Sabi Sheikh, and Rashmi Moni (16), a relative of his wife. The family had been staying on rent at a house in Thazhakuni in Puthalath near Mayyannur.

According to police, the girls went missing from the house sometime between 1 am and 6 am on May 17. They are natives of Champahati in the Simlagar area of Pandua in the Hooghly district of West Bengal.

The disappearance came to light after family members noticed the girls missing and lodged a complaint with police. Following this, the police registered a case and launched an investigation.

During the probe, investigators examined CCTV visuals from nearby areas and railway stations. The visuals reportedly showed the girls boarding a Delhi-bound train after leaving the rented house.

Police earlier suspected that the girls might have travelled to their native place in West Bengal. However, subsequent inquiry revealed that they had not reached their village, prompting police to widen the investigation.

Officials said efforts are underway to trace the girls with the help of railway authorities and police teams in different states. Further investigation is in progress.