New Delhi: A 16-year-old Hindu girl, who had gone missing with the friend of 22-year-old Muslim man Altaf, has been traced by the police in Kasganj, Uttar Pradesh. The minor girl will be produced in front of a magistrate Monday to record her statement.
The girl who recorded her statement in front of a magistrate Monday alleged that Altaf and his father tried to convert her to Islam.
“She recorded her 164 CrPc statement Monday in front of the magistrate. On Tuesday there will be further proceedings after which POCSO and anti-conversion sections may be added in the FIR against Altaf. She has said that Altaf and his father tried to convert her to Islam,” a senior police officer privy to the case said.
Altaf died in police custody on 9 November, a day after he was brought in for questioning following a complaint filed by the girl’s father, who alleged that Altaf “who had sent her to Delhi with his friend”. Altaf’s friend, Rinku, however, is still absconding.
According to sources in the Kasganj Police, the girl was located at one of the district borders following a tip-off. She had allegedly travelled to Agra, Mathura and Delhi with Rinku on Altaf’s behest.
“During questioning, the girl said that she had left her home with Altaf on 8 November. He dropped her off at a location with Rinku, in Kasganj itself. Altaf had asked her to carry some clothes and her documents. She said that Altaf had told her that they will get married soon but need to elope now to protect their relationship,” a senior police officer said.
“She accepted that she and Altaf were in a relationship and that they had a sexual relationship,” the officer added.
Sources also said the minor has accused Altaf’s father, Chand Miyan, of “staring at her lecherously on multiple occasions”.
“Further investigation is on,” the officer quoted above said.
As of now, Altaf has been charged under sections 363 (kidnapping) and 366 (abduction, inducing a woman to compelled her for marriage) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Altaf’s death
The Kasganj Police had claimed Altaf hung himself from the tap in the police station’s washroom, using the “drawstrings of his jacket hood”. The autopsy report cited asphyxia as the cause of the death, and mentioned no other antemortem injuries on his body.
The police had earlier claimed to have recovered intimate videos of the minor with Altaf in the latter’s phone.
Meanwhile, Altaf’s father, in a complaint filed on 13 November, named six police officers and unknown people, accusing them of murdering his son in police custody. He had filed another complaint on 11 November, naming unknown people, following which an FIR under IPC section 302 (murder) was registered.
(Edited by Neha Mahajan)
(This story has been updated to add details about the girl’s statement to the magistrate.)
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