PRATAPGARH: A Hindu minor girl from Rajasthan’s Pratapgarh district was found with a young man at Dhodhar railway station in Madhya Pradesh after she left home for school, following intervention by Bajrang Dal activists and subsequent police action.
According to reports, the girl, from the Salmgarh area of Pratapgarh, left home on the morning of September 28, saying she was going to school. Her family later approached the police, stating that she had been taken away after being lured by some youths.
The girl and a young man identified as Shahil Khan of Kotdi were found at Dhodhar railway station in Ratlam district, Madhya Pradesh. Local people reportedly noticed the two repeatedly asking about a train to Chittorgarh and informed the police.
Dhodhar police took both of them to the police outpost for questioning. After officials established that the matter was connected to Salmgarh in Rajasthan, the Salmgarh police reached Dhodhar and took the minor and the youth to Pratapgarh.
The girl’s family subsequently lodged a complaint at Salmgarh police station, naming Shahil Khan and others and seeking action in connection with the incident. Police are investigating the circumstances in which the minor left home and travelled to the railway station.
A video circulating on social media contains further claims about the incident. According to the video, Bajrang Dal activists questioned the youth after he was intercepted, and he reportedly said that he was acting on the instructions of a Maulvi.
The video also contains a claim that the youth had been promised Rs 1 lakh for taking the girl away. These specific claims have not been independently confirmed in the police account or the news report currently available.
The incident led to protests by local residents and Hindu organisations, who demanded strict action against the youth. People also gathered outside the Salmgarh police station and sought further action in the case.
Additional Superintendent of Police Jaidev Singhah said the youth had been detained while the minor was handed over to her family. Police are examining the complaint and other circumstances surrounding the case.
