A 16-year-old Muslim girl named Fazilat Khatoon went missing from her house in Balha Ghat under Bisfi police station area in Madhubani district, Bihar, a week ago. The girl’s mother Azmati Khatoon, had filed a case against a Hindu Dalit youth, Mantosh Saini and 2 of his friends for her alleged kidnapping.
Now the girl has released a video statement where she admits to running away on her free will and urges authorities not to take any action against Mantosh Saini and his family.
In the video shared by Twitter user Mihir Jha, the 16-year-old girl can be heard saying, “I ran away with Mantosh Saini on my and my parents will. I was not coerced nor was I abducted by Mantosh. My parents, in fact, tried to convince me all this while to run away and marry Mantosh. They told me that he was wealthy and would keep me happy. And now that I am living with him, they want to ruin our life”.
Story from Madhubani:
— Mihir Jha ✍️ (@MihirkJha) June 24, 2021
Fazilat Khatoon, a Muslim girl ran away from her House with a Dalit Mantosh Sahni – She’s released her statement. Her family has filed case against the boy. Dear @NitishKumar, ensure she & her Husband don’t end up like the Bangalore Couple! pic.twitter.com/2k8YYw8Nsn
She added that under influence of other people, her mother has now filed a case against Mantosh Saini. “She wants to ruin Mantosh’s family and separate me from him”, deplored the 16-year-old Fazilat.
Divulging further details of how her parents tortured and coerced her to marry Mantosh, the 16-year old Fazilat Khatoon says in her video statement that this was not the first time she ran away from the house. Prior to this, when she fled, Mantosh brought her back home. Her parents were infuriated to see her back. Her mother started torturing and beating her up, revealed Fazilat.
She added that from the time she returned home, her parents began to exert pressure on her to go back to Mantosh. Fed up with the harsh treatment meted out at her by her parents, Fazilat asked Manitosh to take her away. “At first, Mantosh refused, but due to my constant persuasion, Mantosh finally agreed to take me away”, said the Muslim girl urging authorities not to take any sort of action against Mantosh and his family.
“I have come to live with Mantosh at the behest of my parents and uncles and aunts. Now I refuse to go back. If at all they force me, they will have to take my dead body with them”, lamented the Muslim girl.
Notably, the girl’s family has accused a total of 3 boys, including Mantosh Sahni, of having abducted their daughter, Fazilat Khatoon. After the news spread, members of Majlis Madhubani Bisfi met with the family of the victim and assured them justice. A local AIMIM leader also met Fazilat’s family and assured them that strict action would be taken against the Dalit boy, his friends and his family. In fact, AIMIM also held a press conference in this regard.
However, now after the Fazilat’s statement, it becomes absolutely clear that there was no coercion from the boy’s side. The girl went with Mantosh on her own free will, that too after she was compelled by her parents.
