JAIPUR: A 17-year-old Rajasthan schoolgirl reported missing for almost a week with a female teacher, 20, amid turbulence in their small town over allegations of "love jihad" were traced to Chennai on Wednesday, two days after a video emerged of the pair professing their love for each other and appealing for peace.Bikaner IGP Om Prakash told TOI that police teams assigned to look for the missing teenager and her alleged partner stayed in different cities since last week before landing in Chennai.
The girl will be brought to her hometown in the district and her statement recorded before the police press charges, if any, on the teacher accused of kidnapping, criminal conspiracy and forced marriage.The parents of the Class 12 girl reported her missing on July 1, a day after she left for school at 7.30am and didn't return.
Besides the teacher, the FIR names her two brothers as conspirators in the alleged crime.Sources said the family of the teacher, too, had filed a "missing person report" at the same police station.Several right-wing organisations claimed the alleged interfaith relationship was a case of "love jihad".
The emergence of the video purportedly showing the duo declaring they were in a relationship and wanted to spend their lives together stoked protests.BJP MLA Rajendra Rathore backed the protesters, alleging that the police were trying to hush up the suspected kidnapping of a minor.
SP Tejaswani Gautam said a team had reached Chennai to bring the teenager and the teacher back to Bikaner.
TNN