A team of Uttar Pradesh police that landed in Bhubaneswar to take back a runaway ''minor'girl had to return empty-handed after it found the girl has attained the legal age and married to her boyfriend.
The police team accompanied by the girl’s family arrived in the city after the latter claimed that their daughter, Akanksha Singh was a minor and kidnapped by Pruthiv Raj Panda, a resident of Jagamara under Khandagiri police limits in Bhubaneswar.
According to reports, Akanksha, who claimed to be 19 years old now, fell in love with Pruthiv Raj and left her home quietly and reached Odisha to marry him. The couple who tied the nuptial knot at a temple in Khandagiri also got their marriage registered.
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However, the girl’s parents claimed that she is underage and lodged a kidnapping complaint against Akanksha’s husband. Tracing the whereabouts of the girl, the police team reached the Odisha capital on Monday. Later, the UP police team with the help of Airfield police knocked on the doors of Akanksha’s in’-laws.
“I am 18 plus but my parents are putting pressure on me and trying to forcibly take me back home. They are mentally harassing me,” Akanksha said in a video message.
After the matter reached court, the girl’s statement was recorded under Section 164. In her statement, she claimed that she has attained the legal age and came to Odisha as per her wish. She is happily married and wanted to live with her husband and in-laws.
“My family lodged a false case against my husband and alleged that he brought me here (Bhubaneswar) after kidnapping me. But there is no truth in the allegations. I have come here on my wish. Before leaving, I had left a letter at my home,” she added.
She said she tied the knot with Pruthiv Raj on June 17 and also got their marriage registered, the certificate of which will be issued within 30 days.
Pankaj Kumar Singh, sub-inspector, UP police said, “The girl’s father had lodged a complaint alleging that Pruthiv Raj Panda had persuaded the girl and asked her to come to Bhubaneswar from Gorakhpur. When we reached here, we came to know that she has already married. As the girl is adult, she can live anywhere she wishes.”
“The girl has attained the legal age of 18 years. She came to Bhubaneswar with her wish. Now she is happily living with her husband and in-laws,” said advocate Raj Kishore Das.
Akanksha was happy after the court allowed her to live with her new family. Thanking the media and Odisha police, Akanksha said, “I have got what I wanted (referring to the permission to stay with her husband) and now I am going to my in-laws’ house.”