Dead or alive? Lucknow man in the dark about missing daughter’s fate

The search began in December 2020 after his daughter, who was then 20 years’ old, went missing while returning from her sister’s home.

Spending sleepless nights, a Balaganj resident in Lucknow has been searching tirelessly for daughter for the last nearly four years without luck and wants to know whether she is dead or alive. The search began in December 2020 after his daughter, who was then 20 years’ old, went missing while returning from her sister’s home.

Balaganj resident in Lucknow has been searching for his missing daughter (Sourced)

The father’s search took him to temples across the country. He also looked for her in red light areas in Delhi, Prayagraj and other cities as he suspected she may have been abducted or sold. He also feared she may have been forced into beggary.

“However, I have found no trace of her in nearly four years,” said Awadhesh Kumar Shukla, a resident of Lucknow’s Balaganj.

“I even put her picture in the red light areas of GB Road and Narela in Delhi and Mirganj in Allahabad, suspecting that my daughter might have been sold. I even went to Haridwar and searched in the biggest temple (there), thinking she was being forced to beg, but all (was) futile,” said Shukla who runs a shop in Yahiyaganj.

Last week, he met Lucknow commissioner of police Amrendra Kumar Senger, requested the police to take action and was given an assurance by him.

Giving details of how the ordeal began, Shukla said there was a wedding at his elder daughter Sapna’s in-laws’ house on November 30, 2020. The function was held at Ramlila Maidan in the old city.

“She went to attend it with the family. Late at night, the family members were returning home but my daughter Asmanya Shukla went to her sister’s house in Balaganj. On December 1, 2020, she left her sister’s house. On the way home, she called her mother and said the NCC teacher has called her. But, when we dialled her number at 4pm, the mobile phone was switched off. We started searching but could not find her anywhere,” he said.

“We reached Thakurganj police station and registered a missing report. It has been three years and eight months since my daughter went missing, no clue has been found. The police are also not taking any action. We also gave a letter to CM Yogi and Home Minister Amit Shah. I am 70 years old. I am so worried about my daughter that I cannot even sleep.”

Shukla alleged that the investigating officers kept changing and everyone kept saying that a search was being conducted.

“We are still in the dark as to whether our daughter was kidnapped and killed. At least, we want to know whether she is dead or alive,” she said.

“After facing disappointment from all quarters, I complained on the CM portal. The reply says an investigation is going on,” he said.

“Now, we hope from CM Yogi that our daughter should be found,” he urged.

“The last location of Asmanya’s mobile phone was found at Iradat Nagar in Khadra. After this, the location was not traced. CCTV footage was also checked in Iradat Nagar in which it was seen that the daughter was going by e-rickshaw. But nothing could be found beyond Khadra,” he said.

The girl’s father alleged that the name of a shop owner whose outlet was situated close to his shop surfaced during the investigation but, he was later freed.

“After calling her mother, my daughter called Harish Chandra whose shop is next to our hosiery outlet which my daughter used to manage. A few days after her disappearance, the police took out the CDR (call detail reports) of my daughter’s mobile phone and his name surfaced. Police called him for questioning, but later released him,” he said.