Girl flees with lover,village on the edge

According to police,Pinkle Chauhan (18) and Kiran Patel (23),both residents of Bhadana village in Mandal taluka,some 70 km away from Ahmedabad city,eloped a fortnight back. Pinkle’s parents had initially lodged a “missing” complaint,but after learning of their daughter’s marriage with the Patel youth,they lodged an FIR a few days ago,alleging their daughter was abducted.

After repeated requests for a meeting with their daughter,policemen from Mandal police station located Pinkle,who in turn handed pictures of her marriage along with certificates to the police and claimed she has married Kiran.

The girl,who agreed for a meeting with the parents,was brought to the Viramgam town police station to avoid a clash between the two communities. However,after the girl refused to go with the parents,a 200-strong mob from Bhadana village surrounded the police station,demanding that the girl be handed over to her parents.

“The parents said they just wanted to meet their daughter to get her version. However,after she was brought here,they called the villagers,” said Deputy Superintendent of Police R C Pathak.