Parents seek repatriation of daughter from India

Young woman allegedly married Hindu boy and travelled to Bengaluru on fake identity

HYDRABAD:

The parents of the young Pakistani girl are seeking repatriation of their daughter who was arrested in Bengaluru, India, last week for entering illegally in that country by forging her identity as a Hindu wife of an Indian.

Sohail Jeevani, father of 18-year-old Iqra Jeevani who reportedly married Mulayum Singh Yadav, also thanked Bengaluru police for arresting the couple.

According to Jeevani, who lives in Hyderabad, his daughter went missing on September 19, 2022, as she did not return home from FG College Hyderabad. After searching her at the places she could possibly visit, her father lodged an FIR of kidnapping at city police station on the same date. Unknown suspects were nominated in the FIR under section 365-B of Pakistan Penal Code, which pertains to kidnapping, abducting or inducing a female for a forceful marriage.

Jeevani provided a copy of Iqra aka Rava's passport, NIC and her mobile number to Hyderabad police.

DSP Ghulam Shabbir Sarki said that the police with the help of Federal Investigation Agency traced her travel history from Karachi to Dubai and from Dubai to Khatmandu, Nepal. She was also spotted in several CCTV footages, he added.

"For 12 to 13 days we were clueless about her whereabouts," said Jeevani while talking to the media. "Then we received a call from Iqra. She informed that she got married."

According to the father, the boy was introduced as a Muslim named Samir Ansari, son of Abbas Ansari and Sakina Ansari. His brother's name was told to be Imran. The couple had met over a mobile app game.

Jeevani family claims that they were unaware about the relationship between them before the girl went missing and contacted them 12 to 13 days later. The purported Ansaris said they resided in Uttar Pradesh. Yadav, who is said to be 25-year-old, had claimed that he worked as a manager in an information technology company.

However, after his arrest in Benagaluru it emerged that he is a security guard.

Rafique Jeevani, grandfather, said they asked Iqra aka Rava to show her nikkah nama by sharing a video or photograph over a mobile app. But she did not share the marriage registration document with her parents.

The family has recently approached the Indian diplomats in Karachi. The FIA and foreign ministry are also pursuing the case.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, January 28^th, 2023.