Facing pressure from the Punjab State Women Commission and public concern over the disappearance of 11 minor girls from Ludhiana during May, the city police on Friday said preliminary investigations suggested that the girls were neither kidnapped nor abducted, but had left their homes voluntarily for various personal and family-related reasons.
Police Commissioner Swapan Sharma said FIRs had been registered in all 11 cases and four girls had already been traced and reunited with their families.
“These minor girls were not kidnapped or abducted for extortion. Most of them appear to have left their homes on their own. In one case registered at the Jamalpur police station, three girls were recovered from their native village in Uttar Pradesh, where they had gone voluntarily due to family-related issues,” Sharma told The Tribune.
He said the remaining cases were being actively pursued through technical surveillance, field investigations and coordination with relevant agencies. “We appeal to the public not to create panic or fear in society,” he said.
Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations) RS Bhullar said police teams were working to trace the remaining girls.
“At present, there is no evidence to suggest the involvement of any organised kidnapping racket or criminal conspiracy behind these incidents. However, all possible angles are being examined as part of the investigation,” he said.
A police official, requesting anonymity, said most of the girls were between 13 and 18 years of age and belonged to migrant families living in densely populated localities.
According to the official, poverty, attraction towards other gender, frequent reprimands by parents and the lure of a better life were among the key factors behind such cases.
Meanwhile, the Punjab State Women Commission has taken suo motu cognisance of the matter following reports in the media.
Commission Chairperson Raj Lali Gill said any laxity in matters concerning the safety and dignity of girls would not be tolerated. “The disappearance of such a large number of girls is a serious concern and a major blow to the city’s sense of security,” she said.
The commission has directed that the probe be supervised by a senior police officer and sought a detailed report by June 8.
