The communal tensions between two communities in Asansol district of West Bengal soared after a Hindu boy eloped away with a Muslim girl, says a report published in Jagran. The lovers ran away to the boy’s maternal uncle’s house in Jharia district of neighbouring Jharkhand after their families came to know about their love affair.
On January 21, the father of the girl filed a complaint in the Asansol South police station that his juvenile daughter has been kidnapped by a 19-year-old Hindu boy named Gaurav Thakur. He alleged that his daughter is just 17-years-old and was a ninth student when she was abducted by Thakur.
According to Swaroop Mukherjee, a police officer of Asansol South police station, the father alleged that his daughter went missing on January 20 when she had gone out to fetch some goods from a nearby shop but did not return. He stated in his complaint that Gaurav and his brothers, resident of Nurruddin Road, Named Pada, Asansol, abducted his daughter with false motives. He also stated that when he went to Gaurav’s residence to inquire about his daughter’s whereabouts, he was abused and threatened with dire consequences.
Gaurav and his alleged girlfriend belong to two different religions. Hostility between the two communities increased after it was found that the couple is absconding. Realising that the situation is tensed, the police sprung into action and vigorously commenced its search operation to nab the lovers.
As soon as police caught wind of their whereabouts, it raided the house of Suresh Sharma and Sunil Sharma, the maternal uncles of Gaurav Thakur, in Jharia on the night of 25 January. Both, Gaurav and his alleged girlfriend were caught from the house. The police hoped that the heightened communal tension in Asansol will ease off as the alleged lovers had been caught.
Legal action has been taken against Gaurav, based on the complaint filed by the girl’s father. Gaurav has been sent to jail on kidnapping charges. While being a minor, the girl has been handed over to her family.
On the other hand, Gaurav’s mother, Jyoti Devi has alleged that this is not a case of kidnapping but that of a love affair. She has accused police of acting under the duress of the girl’s family and relatives.
