Minor abducted from Assam rescued from Greater Noida

A 15-year-old girl, who was allegedly kidnapped from Assam on January 10, was recovered from Haldoni village in Greater Noida on Monday, the police said. According to officers, the minor was allegedly duped by Pooja Munda, a local beautician, and trafficked to Greater Noida. The girl is a resident of Golaghat district in Assam.

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Deepak Bora, station house officer of the Golaghat Police station in Assam, said the girl lives with her family in Golaghat. “The girl went missing from her home on January 10. Her family launched a search but to no avail. They then approached the police and reported the matter,” he said.

Bora said the police found that a woman from the girl’s neighbourhood, Munda, was also missing. “The family suspected Munda’s role in the girl going missing. A case under Section 363 (abduction) of the Indian Penal Code was registered in this regard,” Bora said. The police put the suspect’s mobile phone number on electronic surveillance and traced it to Greater Noida. The Assam police then alerted the Greater Noida police about the matter.

Munish Chauhan, station house officer of the Bisrakh police station, said a team on Monday conducted a search and found the minor alone at the Haldoni mod (turn). “The girl was sent for a medical examination and handed over to the women’s police station. We also informed Childline, a child rights NGO, in this regard,” he said, adding the kidnappers managed to flee.

Satya Prakash, programme manager, FXB Suraksha-Childline, said the team took custody of the girl from the women’s police station. “The girl was also presented before the Child Welfare Committee. She alleged the accused woman, Munda, had handed her over to a person named Dada. Dada had brought four other girls from Assam on the pretext of jobs. The four girls were kept somewhere in Delhi while this girl was brought to Greater Noida,” he said.

Prakash said the girl revealed that two youth had tried to molest her while was kept illegally in Greater Noida. “The Childline team will counsel the girl to know if she has been sexually assaulted during the illegal custody. Our team is coordinating with the police and different child welfare agencies,” he said.