E-Paper
Kidnapped minor girl found after one year; neighbour held
After months of investigation, the Mansa police have arrested the alleged kidnapper of a minor girl of Boha block. The girl was kidnapped from Bathinda district in July 2012 by her neighbour.
After months of investigation, the Mansa police have arrested the alleged kidnapper of a minor girl of Boha block. The girl was kidnapped from Bathinda district in July 2012 by her neighbour.
The police have nabbed the suspect, Sukhjit Singh, from a 'dhaba' in SAS Nagar and recovered the girl. Sukhjit Singh also hailed from Boha and had kidnapped the girl from Bathinda district where she used to study. On Monday, police handed over the victim to parents and took the suspect in police remand till June 13.
From holding a protest and a bandh at Boha to meeting chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, the parents of the girl did everything they could to get their daughter back.
The victim's father, Vinod Kumar, in his complaint to the police on July 25, 2012 alleged that Sukhjit Singh had kidnapped his daughter, a Class-11 medical student who was living in a paying guest accommodation at Ajit Road, Bathinda, on June 26.
The Bathinda police then registered a case under Sections 363-A, 366 and 120-B of the IPC against the main accused, Sukhjit Singh, his parents Surinder Kaur and Harbans Singh, sister Narinder Kaur, brother Deepu and a relative, Kuldeep Singh. The girl was kidnapped near Ghorewala Chowk from where her bicycle was recovered.
On April 14, inspector general of police (Bathinda zone) Nirmal Singh Dhillon formed a special investigating team (SIT) headed by Mansa SSP Narinder Bhargav and comprising officials of Bathinda and Mansa police to trace a 16-year-old girl.
Mansa superintendent of police Rajeshwar Sidhu, Bathinda ASP Alka Meena, Mansa DSP Sulakhan Singh, Mansa, cyber cell in-charge, inspector Dalbir Singh, CIA in-charge Ranvir Singh and station house officer UC Chawla were other members of the SIT.
On Monday, deputy inspector general of police Amar Singh Chahal along with the Mansa SSP and other officials briefed the media about the case and investigation.
DIG Amar Singh Chahal said, "The accused along with the girl was shifting base. Apart from Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, they stayed in Patiala, SAS Nagar and Chandigarh. The accused also married the girl in July last year at a gurdwara in Panchkula by presenting fake certificates and showing her an adult."
Mansa senior superintendent of police Narinder Bhargav said, "Accused Sukhjit Singh used the public call offices (PCO) to contact his family and avoided using mobile phone. Sukhjit came to know about the registration of case and other developments with the help of family and also managed to use his Facebook account from different locations to misguide the police. Sukhjit Singh was booked under Sections 323, 342, 506, 149 and 120 -B of Indian Penal Code on June 18 last year."
Case file
A 16-year-old girl of Boha in Mansa was allegedly kidnapped by Sukhjit Singh and his accomplices from Bathinda in July last year.
The police registered a case on July 25, 2012, under Sections 363-A, 366 and 120-B of the IPC.
They arrested 14 people, including the parents and kin of the accused, but failed to trace the girl.
On April 14 this year, the victim's parents along with Boha residents held a protest, blocked Mansa-Budhlada road and forced a bandh.
On the same day, IGP, Bathinda zone, NS Dhillon formed a SIT headed by Mansa SSP Narender Bhargav to crack the case.
