The Odisha government on Friday said that child marathon runner Budhia Singh was not missing, and that he was likely to return to the sports hostel in the next four days.

"Budhia Singh’s mother had yesterday (Thursday) told a local news channel that they are in Nayagarh. We are expecting him to return to the sports hostel in two to four days,” Sports and Youth Affairs Secretary Saswat Mishra told reporters following the local media report that the boy was missing.

Mishra said Budhia had not returned to the sports hostel after summer vacation last month. Besides Budhia, eight sports persons had not returned to the hostel. 

As Budhia did not return to the hostel and even remained absent in school, hostel authorities sent letters to his house in Salia Sahi slum. Four coaches of the sports hostel even visited Budhia’s mother’s home at the slum. 

"Our coaches met Budhia’s elder sister. She said that they (the boy and his mother) are out of Bhubaneswar,” said Mishra. Budhia Singh’s neighbours also said that the mother and son were not seen in the slum for the last one month.