Tripura girl, 17, kidnapped for marriage, rescued in Assam; man booked: Cop

Police identified the accused as Akash Debnath (22), who enticed the girl and took her home on the pretext of marriage

A 17-year-old girl from Tripura who was allegedly kidnapped on the pretext of marriage was rescued in Assam on Tuesday, police said on Saturday, adding that probe is underway.

According to police, the minor’s father alleged that his daughter left home for tuitions on July 20, but did not return. (Representational Image)

Police identified the accused as Akash Debnath (22), who enticed the girl and took her home on the pretext of marriage. A case was registered on Wednesday under sections 137(2), 64(2), 127(2), 3(5) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and section 4 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.

According to police, the minor’s father alleged that his daughter left home for tuitions on July 20, but did not return. When the girl’s father reached Debnath’s home on Monday (August 3) in Assam’s Patharkandi, his father denied the allegations and drove the father away.

The girl’s family with the assistance of Child Line, rescued her from Debnath’s home on Tuesday. The girl’s father also accused Debnath of confining her and maintaining physical relationship with her, police said.

“The investigation is in progress,” said a police officer on the condition of anonymity.

Last year, a man was arrested in connection to abduction of a minor girl in Tripura, who was later recovered from Nepal.