‘Abducted’ 11-year-old US citizen found from Kashmir

The intention behind the alleged abduction is still unknown, say police; the father of the victim is presently residing in Poland after he was deported from the US post his separation from wife

An 11-year-old US citizen, who was allegedly abducted by his Jalandhar-based caretakers, has been recovered from Kulgam in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, officials said.

The abductors are said to be the boy’s caretakers.

Superintendent of police Prabhjot Singh Virk said a couple identified as Shaminder Kaur and her husband Ajitpal Singh, who were caretakers of the minor boy in the case, have been arrested.

“The US embassy and the family of the victims registered a missing complaint with Kapurthala police on May 12 this year, following which the police have initiated an investigation into the matter. During the investigation, it came to light that the victim’s father got custody of the boy after he separated from his wife in the United States, a few years ago. The boy was 1.5 years old when he was brought to India by his father, who hired a Jalandhar-based couple as a caretaker since his Begowal-based mother was aged,” Virk said.

He added that the victim’s father left the child with the couple. “The couple was being paid by the victim’s father. However, the couple went incommunicado from May 12 onwards, following which the matter was reported to us,” he said.

Virk said based on human intelligence and digital evidence, the cops tracked their movement in Kashmir. “They were nabbed with the assistance of local police,” he said, adding that the intentions behind the alleged abduction are still unknown. The SP added that the father of the victim is presently residing in Poland after he was deported from the US post-divorce.

“We have informed the US embassy about the recovery of the child so that he could be handed over to his custodians,” he said.

The police have registered a case under section 140 (kidnapping) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.