When questioned by the police, the girls said they were going to meet relatives in Chennai. But investigations found that they were trying to flee their homes, the police said. "They later said they wanted to go to Chennai and earn money because their families were poor," an officer said.
The girls were identified as Pavithra, Malar and Shymala, sixth standard students of a government school in Gummidipoondi. It was their second attempt to run away to Chennai, the police said.
"After school, they caught a train to Chennai. After Malar started crying, they got down at Arakkonam railway station," the police officer said. The railway police informed the Gummidipundi police who in turn told the girls' parents. The parents were searching for the children because they did not return from school.
The police handed over the girls to their parents at Arakkonam railway station on Monday evening. Source