Village residents helped trace two boys who wandered off from the Morarji Desai Residential School in Takkalaki of Vijayapura district on Sunday.

The villagers found the boys walking on a mud road on the outskirts of the village and asked them about their whereabouts.

They said that they had lost their way. The villagers called the school only to find that the principal and warden were not available.

Then they approached the Basavana Bagewadi Police following which Police Inspector Gurshant Dashyal rushed to the spot and handed over the students to the school staff.

Some villagers and parents gathered in front of the school and raised slogans against the school officials. Some complained before the police that the principal and the warden were negligent in carrying out their duties.