‘Runaway brides’ put Patna police on their toes

IN THE PAST FIVE MONTHS, 46 GIRLS & 18 BOYS WENT MISSING

POLICE DUB THESE CASES AS 'HONEYMOON KIDNAPPING'.

June 14, 2011: Patna: Social scientists see it as an expression of ‘women empowerment’, but this is proving out a nightmare for the Patna Police. Latest statistics by the city police suggests that in the past five months, 46 girls and 18 boys went missing in the city. Interestingly, majority of these girls were young, between the age group of 12 and 17.

So, who kidnapped them & where have they gone? Police explains that most of them eloped with their lovers for marriage, but their parents, in a bid to save their social prestige, lodged kidnapping cases. Police dub these cases as 'honeymoon kidnapping'.

The police claim that out of 37 girls recovered since February, almost all confessed that they had willingly eloped with their lovers. Around 80% of these girls show their marriage certificate on return, and most of them belong to middle class families. Some others belong to the upper echelons of the society as well.

According to a police official, "This is a new trend. Despite knowledge of their daughters' whereabouts, parents lodge kidnapping cases." This could be dangerous for the young lovers eloping, especially if the girl happens to be underage, he added.

Since February, as many as seven cases of kidnapping have been registered at Kadamkuan police station, six each at Jakkanpur, Patrakar Nagar and Kankarbagh police stations, three at Buddha Colony and two each at Patliputra Colony, Kotwali and Gandhi Maidan police stations. Rajiv Nagar, Pirbahore, Digha and Parsa Bazaar police stations have recorded one case each. Patna City has seen 23 'kidnapping' cases being registered since February.