Ghaziabad: Woman arrested for abducting 2-year-old girl for begging

Police said she was arrested while trying to flee with the girl to Lucknow, and the girl was reunited with her family

Ghaziabad: A 45-year-old woman has been arrested for allegedly kidnapping a two-year-old girl from a park in Muradnagar, police said on Wednesday, adding that she took the child to Meerut and used her for begging.

Officials said that suspect Haseena, a widow, has two children who stay with her sister. (Sakib Ali/HT)

According to officials, the girl was playing at a park near her house in Muradnagar on March 18 when the suspect, identified as Haseena (single name), a resident of Valmiki Basti in Modinagar, approached her.

“The woman lured the girl with a cold drink and walked away. After the girl’s family failed to trace her, they approached police and an FIR was filed under BNS section 137(2) (kidnapping). The woman was identified with the help of CCTVs, and was finally traced near the railway station in Modinagar on Wednesday and arrested. The girl was also recovered,” Ankit Kumar, SHO of Modinagar, told HT.

Police said the child’s parents are daily wage earners.

Officials said that suspect Haseena, a widow, has two children who stay with her sister in Modinagar.

“The suspect revealed that she took the girl in a bus to Meerut. She got her a hair-cut and dressed her as a boy to hide her identity. She was using the little girl for begging, so that people give more money seeing a child,” the SHO added.

Police said she was arrested while trying to flee with the girl to Lucknow, and the girl was reunited with her family, said officials.