The Uttar Pradesh police have tracked down an inter-faith couple whose elopement last week had triggered communal unrest in the district.
The girl had eloped days before her wedding slated for June 18.
The girl’s family had approached Nangal Soti police station alleging that she was kidnapped by a man of another community.
A case of abduction was then filed against the youth.
The police later received a video in which the girl had sought protection from her family members saying that she has married a man of her choice.
Bijnor Superintendent of Police (SP) Lakshmi Nivas Mishra said. “The girl might have apparently married the accused. The lawyer of the youth contacted us and provided a video showing that the girl had married him, without any pressure. They have also sought police protection. We have asked them to produce documents about their marriage.”
The couple was tracked down on Thursday and will be produced before a court on Friday.
The matter had taken a communal turn when a member of a lesser-known saffron outfit allegedly threatened to set the police station on fire if the girl was not recovered and sent back home.
In a video, Vishwa Hindu Mahasangh State General Secretary, Rajni Jauhar, could be heard saying, “Police are supporting the minority community. Family members of the girl are making rounds of police officials but they are not paying heed to them. The wedding of the girl was slated for June 18. Had the girl belonged to a minority community, police would have recovered her immediately. If she is not recovered, people will come on the streets and a police station will be set ablaze.”
Earlier this week, scores of villagers led by Hindu Vahini and Hindu Jagran Manch staged a ‘dharna’ and threatened ‘retaliatory’ action if the police failed to act.
District General Secretary of Hindu Jagran Manch, Abhishek Tyagi, had said, “A youth of minority community has abducted the girl.
Her family members have filed a case against the accused. Family members of the girl are making rounds of police officials. We will not tolerate ‘love jihad’ here.”
