The hunt for the 15-year-old Rajasthani girl, who went missing from Kollam in Kerala, has taken the Kerala police to Rajasthan. This comes four days after the incident. Sub Inspector of Oachira in Kollam, confirmed to TNM that a special team has been dispatched to Pali in Rajasthan.
The girl and her family, who are originally from Pali, had settled in Oachira nearly two years ago. A gang of four men entered the girl's house and took her away on Monday. While three men have been arrested, the main accused, 19-year-old Mohammad Roshan, is still missing, along with the girl.
“We have a team stationed in Bengaluru. They were on the lookout for the girl as well as Mohammad Roshan. However, they have not been able to trace the couple. Now, another team has been sent to Rajasthan, where the search will continue,” the SI said.
The police told TNM that the couple’s phones have been switched off since Monday.
The minor’s father was also attacked by a four-member gang in the family’s house in Valiyakulangara, Oachira. The police had also said that the girl had been close to Roshan, and the three others in the gang were his accomplices. The group allegedly absconded from Ernakulam to Bengaluru following this.
An FIR was registered after the minor’s parents filed a complaint with the police.
The police registered cases against Mohammed Roshan and Vipin Paykuzhya, who are natives of Valiyakulangara in Oachira, Pyari, a native of Payikkuzhi, and Ajayan, a native of Vallikavu. Cases were registered under sections 457 (Lurking house-trespass or house-breaking by night in order to commit offence punishable with imprisonment), 323, 324 (Voluntarily causing hurt), 366 (Kidnapping, abducting or inducing woman to compel her marriage) and 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the IPC.
Vipin, Pyari and Ajayan were arrested and remanded on Wednesday.
The minor is the eldest of seven children of the couple, who are clay potters by profession.
Dharna against police inefficiency
Meanwhile, several leaders, including President of Kollam District Congress Committee, Bindu Krishna, and BJP Rajya Sabha MP Suresh Gopi sat outside the minor’s house, protesting the delay in tracing the accused and the minor girl. They decided that they will continue the protest until the girl is found and returned to her parents.
Criticising the police, Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala came down on the Kerala police for not being able to track the minor down.
“In our state, drug mafia, rowdies and anti-social elements are roaming around freely. Quotation teams are roaming around. Is this the cultural Kerala? Literate Kerala? What are the government and the police doing? Are they sleeping?” the Opposition leader asked on Friday.