SUMIT SHARMA
Jamm: In a disturbing case raising serious concerns over child safety, police have registered an FIR at Bishnah Police Station following allegations that a 12-year-old girl from Punjab was sold by her maternal aunt to a man in Jammu, with money allegedly demanded for the child’s release.
The girl’s mother, Seema Devi, a resident of Mukariya village in Punjab, approached Nagrota Police Station with a written complaint seeking the immediate recovery of her daughter, who had reportedly been missing from the family’s reach for around three months.
According to the complaint, the minor had gone to stay at her maternal aunt’s house in Mehmoodpur, Bishnah, approximately three months ago. Around twenty five days later, the mother allegedly received a telephone call from her daughter, who claimed that her maternal aunt had sold her to a person known as Billu, reportedly a resident of R.S. Pura, Jammu.
The girl allegedly told her mother that money was being demanded for her release. The complainant expressed apprehension that her daughter was being illegally confined or exploited and feared that she could be taken to the Kudh area.
The allegations have prompted police intervention, with the immediate priority being to establish the girl’s whereabouts and ensure her safe recovery.
According to the police report, an E-Zero FIR No. 006 dated October 26, 2026, was registered at Nagrota Police Station under Sections 127(2), 137(2) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Section 9 of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, as cited in the report.
As the alleged incident fell within the jurisdiction of Bishnah Police Station, the case was forwarded to the concerned police station for further legal action. Subsequently, regular FIR No. 198/2026 was registered at Bishnah Police Station under the same provisions.
The complainant reportedly told police that she had been searching for her daughter and could not approach the police station earlier.
“The case highlights the vulnerability of children when their whereabouts become unknown and allegations of exploitation emerge. The reported demand for money for the minor’s release adds urgency to the need for a thorough investigation and coordinated efforts to locate her”, said a retired police officer, adding “Under India’s child-protection framework, suspected trafficking, unlawful confinement and offences against minors require prompt investigation and appropriate protective intervention. Child Helpline 1098 provides assistance to children in distress and operates in coordination with the emergency response system”.
He further said that the guilt of any individual can be determined only through due legal process. For now, the priority is the safe recovery of the minor and a thorough investigation into the serious claims raised by her mother.
