BHUBANESWAR: A mother from Odisha’s Puri district has appealed to the authorities for urgent assistance in bringing back her daughter, who she alleges is currently being held in Bangladesh after being lured into a relationship through a mobile application. The case, which has been described by the family as an instance of “love jihad,” has prompted a fresh complaint to the police and a request for intervention from both state and central governments.
The complainant has claimed that her daughter was befriended online by a youth named Sabir, who allegedly introduced himself as a Bengali boy. According to the mother, the man gradually developed a relationship with the minor through deception and emotional manipulation.
As per the complaint filed with the police, the girl went missing on November 27, 2021, when she was 16 years old. Soon after her disappearance, the family lodged a missing person report with the local police in Puri. During the initial stages of the search, the family reportedly received information suggesting that the girl was in Cooch Behar, West Bengal.
Mother stated that she travelled to Cooch Behar with the assistance of police officials to bring her daughter back. However, she alleged that the accused managed to evade capture at that time. According to her, the youth escaped from the location and could not be apprehended, which prevented the girl from being rescued.
The mother further alleged that her daughter was later taken across the international border from West Bengal into Bangladesh. She claims that the girl is currently being held there against her will.
She also stated that her daughter occasionally manages to contact her over the phone and has allegedly described incidents of physical and mental torture. The mother has further alleged that her daughter is being pressured to convert to Islam. According to Parida, the last conversation she had with her daughter took place on March 2, 2026.
In a renewed appeal for help, the distressed mother recently approached the Puri police authorities again and submitted a written complaint to the office of the Superintendent of Police, requesting immediate action to trace and rescue her daughter.
She has urged both the Odisha government and the central government to take diplomatic and legal steps to facilitate her daughter’s safe return from Bangladesh.
Responding to the complaint, the Superintendent of Police of Puri district, Prateek Singh, confirmed that the matter is currently under investigation.
“We have received the complaint and are examining the details. After gathering the necessary information, we will approach the Special Branch and communicate with the concerned High Commission to facilitate her return,” Singh said.
