Father-son duo ‘abducts’ girl

Satinder Pal Singh

Dera Bassi, October 13

A team of the Mubarikpur police here has left for Kullu district in Himachal Pradesh to rescue a 19-year-old girl, an engineering student, who has allegedly been kidnapped and kept in illegal confinement by a Kullu-based family since August.

The incident came to light when the victim’s mother, Neelam, a resident of Bhankarpur village that falls under the jurisdiction of Dera Bassi, lodged a complaint against the youth and his father, who belong to Tandi village in Anni tehsil of Kullu district, HP. The police have registered a case.

Bhinder Singh Khangura, in charge of Mubarikpur police post, said the victim’s mother had alleged that her 19-year-old daughter had allegedly been kidnapped from Bhankarpur village in August this year by a youth, named Raman Bharti, and his father Ashok Bharti. She had been kept in illegal confinement by the father-son duo for the past one month. The complainant told the police that Raman abducted her on the pretext of marriage.

Bhinder said the victim made a WhatsApp call to her mother a week ago, narrating her ordeal. In a video call, the victim alleged that she was confined to a room in Tandi village, Kullu district, Himachal Pradesh.

During preliminary investigation, it has come to fore that Raman Bharti and the 19-year-old girl study in the same college at Kala Amb. They became friends and started liking each other. After gaining her trust, Raman proposed to her but the girl’s mother turned down the proposal, and the two parted ways, added Bhinder.

He said on August 13, Raman, along with his father Ashok Bharti, came to Bhankarpur village and took the girl along with them. The victim had been kept in illegal confinement since then.

The police did not rule out sexual assault on the victim. They said her statement would be recorded as soon as she was brought here, and the next course of action would be taken accordingly.

Bhinder said a police team had been sent to Tandi village after tracing the location of the cellphone used by the girl. Meanwhile, the father-son duo has been booked under Section 365 and 34 of the IPC at the Mubarikpur police post, he added.

What preliminary probe says

• Accused Raman Bharti and the 19-year-old victim study in the same college at Kala Amb. 
• They became friends and started liking each other. 
• Raman proposed to her but the girl’s mother turned down the marriage proposal, and the two parted ways.
• On August 13, Raman, along with his father Ashok Bharti, came to Bhankarpur village and took the girl along with them.