Newly-wed man kidnapped for ‘love marriage’
A newly married man was kidnapped from the court premises in Murree after the couple showed up for the hearing of a quashment petition in the ‘love marriage’ case.
Members of the girl stormed the judicial complex Jheka Gali and abducted the newly-wed man, who was identified as Nauman. The police, however, foiled their attempt and saved the girl from being whisked away.
The couple had solemnised a freewill marriage. However, the girl’s family was against it and had lodged a kidnapping case, sources said.
The 14-year-old daughter of a former councillor had absconded with Nauman and later married him, after which her family had lodged a complaint of her kidnapping with the Murree police. The couple had sought cancellation of the kidnapping case registered by the girl’s family against her ‘bridegroom’.
The police said the teenager had submitted an affidavit in an Islamabad court after tying the knot with Nauman.
The couple had come to the court of Murree Civil Judge Ahmed Saeed Saim on Wednesday to record their statement for the dismissal of the kidnapping FIR registered against the husband.
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As soon as they arrived, over 40 people from the girl’s family stormed the court to kidnap the couple.
The Murree police managed to save the girl, however, the attackers took Nauman with them. A stampede occurred in the judicial complex after the incident.
The Murree police said they were carrying out raids to recover the kidnapped man while they have booked six attackers. The police said they were also registering a case against the suspects who caused bedlam on the court premises.
The girl’s father, Ashfaq Abbasi, had lodged a complaint that they went to attend a relative’s wedding in Bhara Kahu Islamabd on September 19. Upon their return, the complainant’s mother told him that Ms N was missing.
After making inquiries, the family learnt that Nauman, who lived in Angori area, had kidnapped Ms N, who hailed from Samli, on his motorbike. After receiving the complaint, Murree police registered a kidnapping case against Nauman. However, the girl appeared before the local court and informed it she had tied the knot with Nauman of her freewill.
Murree Police Station House Officer Raja Rasheed said that they were searching for the recovery of kidnapped man.
Murree Bar Association (MBA) President Jalil Akhtar Abbasi strongly condemned the incident. He said that judges and lawyers were feeling insecure after the incident and demanded immediate measures be taken to prevent such incidents in the future.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 30th, 2021.