Jaipur, Jul 6 (PTI) Police on Thursday arrested the female teacher who allegedly abducted a 17-year-old school student, a day after the two were tracked down in Chennai, officials said.
The duo had disappeared on Saturday triggering protests in Sri Dungargarh town of Bikaner district with the minor girl’s family members terming it a case of “love jihad” – a phrase often used by right-wing outfits to describe interfaith relationships.
Later, a purported video of the two surfaced online in which the minor said that they are in love and wanted to be together.
“The teacher was arrested today and produced before a court. The other accused in the case are yet to be interrogated,” Dungargarh SHO Ashok Bishnoi told PTI.
Based on the girl’s statement, police booked the teacher under sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, IPC sections 363 and 366 – both related to kidnapping – and IPC Section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) against the 21-year-old teacher Nida Bahleem.
The girl and the teacher were on Wednesday brought to Bikaner from Chennai, days after the two went missing.
Earlier, police had booked the teacher, her father, and her two brothers on the complaint of the minor girl’s family under IPC sections 363, 366 and 120-B. They were also booked under sections of the Juvenile Justice Act.
On July 1, the Class 12 student of a private school in Sri Dungargarh town had gone missing. At the same time Nida Bahleem, a teacher from the same school, was reported missing.
Later, the student’s family alleged that the teacher had abducted the girl and brainwashed her. They mounted a protest outside the Sri Dungargarh Police Station alleging it to be a case of “love jihad.” Meanwhile, the teacher’s family filed a missing person report with the Sri Dungargarh Police.
On Monday, a 4-minute-long video surfaced on social media in which the minor girl was seen saying that the two had left of their own accord and loved each other.
“We are lesbians and cannot marry any man. Therefore we decided to elope. And if you catch us, then our life will end. Don’t file a case against her family members. The case of kidnapping is wrong. I am not a small girl who can be coaxed,” she said.
The teacher in her turn said, “Don’t create unnecessary riots… We are very safe, we will be very happy, leave us.” The teacher also in the video said she did not coax the girl and there was no role of her family behind their leaving together.
On Tuesday, Leader of Opposition in the Rajasthan Assembly Rajendra Rathore visited the town and met the girl’s family members.
He alleged innocent girls are being “brainwashed” and he will raise the matter in the assembly session. PTI AG SKY
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