Lucknow: Tension prevailed at a village in Bijnor district after a Muslim family was assaulted in the Dhampur police station area on Friday.
A member of the family had allegedly eloped with a Hindu on January 31. While the police traced the girl to Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, the youth is still on the run. Fearing more such attacks, the youth’s family and relatives have left the village. A large number of policemen has been deployed at the village.
Bijnor SP Dinesh Kumar P said: “The girl and the youth had travelled to Jammu and Kashmir. While the girl has been found, the youth gave police the slip. Efforts are on to trace him… Today, medical examination of the girl was conducted and her statement recorded before the court. She has been kept at a protection home.”
The youth has been booked for allegedly abducting the girl to marry her forcibly, following a complaint by the girl’s father. The police will seek court’s direction regarding her custody on Saturday, Dhampur SHO Ravindra Pratap Singh said.
Investigating officer (IO) in the case, Sub-inspector Mukesh Kumar, said the girl — an adult — is a native of Moradabad district and was an undergraduate student in Bijnor. She used to stay in a hostel. “The youth used to run a mobile phone repairing shop,” he added.
On January 31, the girl went missing on her way to home from her hostel. When she did not reach home, which is near Bijnor, her relatives started looking for her. When she couldn’t be traced, her father filed a missing complaint with the police.
While the girl’s family was looking for her, they came to know that she was frequently seen with a local youth, the IO said. “Following this, the girl’s father got a case registered under sections 363/366 (kidnapping, abducting or inducing woman to compel her marriage, etc) of the IPC. The police raided the youth’s home, but he was not found,” he added.
Early Wednesday, a group of armed men — travelling in three cars — reached the youth’s uncle’s house and started beating up the members of the family, including women. They also ransacked the house, police said. By the time police arrived, they had left.
The youth’s cousin registered a case against unidentified persons under Section 452 (house trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint) of the IPC at the Dhampur police station.
Source: Indian Express