The Tribune, Jamuary 19, 2004

Abducted girl rescued
Our Correspondent

Kurukshetra, January 18
A 12-year-old girl, who had been abducted from Hardwar, was freed from the clutches of a woman here last evening. Stating this here today, the district police chief, Mr K.K. Rao, said that the class IV girl, Vibha, alias Pinki, a daughter of a cloth merchant, Mr Lallan Yadav, of Varanasi, had gone to Hardwar along with her mother and two brothers four months ago.

Mr Rao said that Pinki had told the police that when she was playing on the banks of Ganga, a woman named Meenu approached her and took her to a temple named Chandi Devi. After roaming from one place to another, Meenu brought Pinki to Ranjeet (60), a resident of Indira Colony here, about three months ago. According to Pinki, Ranjeet, his wife Kamlesh and their two sons used to tell their neighbours that Pinki was one of distant relatives. Pinki alleged that she was beaten up and made to work as domestic help and given insufficient food. Whenever she expressed her desire to leave for her native town, she was beaten up by Ranjeet and Kamlesh.

Pinki realised that she was going to be sold to some persons on Friday. Her captors had struck a deal at Ranjeet’s residence in this regard. Pinki narrated her tale of woe to her neighbour, Ms Maalo Devi, who informed the police about the whole matter. Mr Rao said that Ranjeet had been arrested, while his wife Kamlesh and two sons had been absconding. Ms Maalo Devi told this reporter that Kamlesh had offered her Rs 60000 for not informing the police.