GUJRAT: Jhelum police have booked Pind Daden Khan Municipal Committee chief officer, his wife and two relatives on charges of kidnapping a 10-year-old maid, who had not been in contact with her parents since July 26, when she had gone to her employer’s house.

Bushra Begum, a resident of Dhok Wahab Din locality, lodged a complaint with Jhelum city police station that her daughter Tania (10) would often accompany her aunt who was a maid at the house of Chief Officer Haider Ali Chattha in Jhelum.

She said that on July 26 the last her daughter went to Mr Chattha’s house but did not return after which she contacted the employer who told her that Tania accompanied his family to his cousin’s house at Wazirabad and would return on July 27.

She said later she was told that Tania would stay at Wazirabad and return soon after Eidul Azha. However, when the girl did not return after Eid, Bushra on August 4 the last again asked Mr Chattha about the whereabouts of her daughter. She alleged that on asking about her daughter, Chattha threatened her to lodg a theft case against her if she again inquired about her daughter.

The family and relatives of the missing girl also staged a protest demonstration at Jhelum the other day against Mr Chattha accusing them of kidnapping Tania and demanded her recovery and justice in the case.

The police have registered a case against four nominated suspects, including Chattha, his wife and their two relatives under Section 363 of the Pakistan Penal Code on the report of Tania’s mother.

According to police sources, Chattha had employed Tania to work as a maid at his cousin’s house at Wazirabad against Rs5,000 per month and the girl remained in contact with her family.

However, for the last three to four days the girl was not in contact with her family which raised concerns about her wellbeig. When her family inquired about Tania from the chief officer, he declined to accept any responsibility as the girl went missing from Wazirabad.

The sources said the girl was last spotted on a motorbike with some unidentified person in some footage of close circuit TV cameras installed in the area. The police are investigating and hoped to arrest the suspects soon and recover the girl.

Published in Dawn, August 9th, 2020