An 11-year-old boy saved his 9-year-old sister from kidnapping bid in Sector 20, Panchkula, on Friday morning.
The incident took place on the Zirakpur-Shimla highway. Nine-year-old Kajal was going to school, along with her brother Shivam, 11, as usual.
Pawan Singh Pundir, 42, a resident of Krishna Enclave in Dhakoli, came in a white Alto car bearing registration number PB65-W-7137 and stopped near Kajal. He asked her to sit in the car, but she refused. As per Kajal, he then grabbed her arm and told her that he would help her cross the road.
“When I said we cross the road daily, he tried to pull me inside, but my brother intervened,” she added.
“I pulled my sister back. We shouted for help and people gathered there,” said Shivam. He then went home and called his father too. Meanwhile, the public thrashed Pundir.
Pundir had retired from the IAF after a service of 20 years and is currently unemployed.
Sangeeta Devi, the mother of the kids, also reached the spot. “I had gone for work. Someone told me there was an attempt to kidnap my daughter. So, I immediately reached the spot,” she said.
{{/usCountry}}Sangeeta Devi, the mother of the kids, also reached the spot. “I had gone for work. Someone told me there was an attempt to kidnap my daughter. So, I immediately reached the spot,” she said.
{{/usCountry}}Police post in charge, Sector 19, sub-inspector Ajit Singh said when they reached the spot around 9 am they found that the public were holding a man. “The girl had levelled allegations of attempted kidnapping against the accused. We have registered a case under Section 366 A (procreation of minor girl), read with Section 511, of the IPC,” he said.
“The accused told us that he just wanted to help children cross the road, but as the girl complained of force being used, we registered a case,” said SHO Sector 20, inspector Surinder Singh. Pundir has been remanded in judicial custody.