Puri, March 10 A woman from Puri, Odisha, appealed to the state and central governments on Tuesday to rescue her daughter, alleging that she was kidnapped five years ago and has been held captive in Bangladesh since then.
The woman claimed that her daughter had fled to the neighbouring country with someone in 2021 when she was 16 years old.
According to the mother, the now 21-year-old woman recently contacted her over the phone.
"My daughter told me that she had fled from Puri with a man named Sabir, who had come into contact with her through social media during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021," the woman said in a letter to the Puri Police.
The mother claimed in the complaint that her then-minor daughter was kidnapped and forced into marriage after changing her religion.
Puri SP Prateek Singh confirmed receiving the complaint and said that the appropriate authorities would be approached following an investigation into the matter.
The woman said that her daughter, who had been attending online classes during the pandemic period, had left home along with her school bag to go for private tuition on November 27, 2021 and never returned. A missing person's case was then lodged with the Puri police station, but she was not found.
She said that her daughter's mobile phone was last traced at Dinahata in West Bengal's Cooch Behar district, which shares a border with Bangladesh. The family members had gone there, but were unable to find her.
Asked why she is raising the matter after five years, the mother said she had received several phone calls and messages from her daughter, who informed her that she was being physically and mentally tortured by her kidnapper.
"They also forced my daughter to change religion and marry," she said.
The mother said that she has arranged a passport, but is afraid of visiting Bangladesh without any government support.
The Puri SP said, "We have received a written complaint from the woman and are investigating the matter. After getting details, we will approach the Special Branch and write to the concerned High Commission to facilitate her return."