KOLKATA: A huge controversy kicked off last week after a court in West Bengal handed over a girl to Gujarat Police, even though she wanted to stay with a Muslim youth, with whom she had eloped. Acting on a complaint by the girl’s father who had alleged kidnapping, a team of Gujarat Police took the Suratbased girl to conduct her medical examination, and are planning to charge Sheikh Shahrukh, a resident of Belda in West Bengal’s Paschim Medinipur, with rape. The love story began when Shahrukh and his elder brother went to Surat in 2013, and became tenants at the girl’s house.
Gradually, they fell in love. After her father noticed this, he locked her in a room and allegedly threatened Shahrukh. The brothers returned to their native village. The affair resumed last year after Shahrukh got a job in Bengaluru and contacted the girl through Facebook. Three months ago, she left her home without informing anybody and reached Shahrukh’s home in Belda. His family informed police and sent her to a government home for girls after they realised that she was a minor. However, her father lodged a complaint with Surat Police alleging that Shahrukh abducted her.
On June 6, a team of Gujarat Police arrived in Medinipur and requested for her custody. As there was no woman in the team, they returned empty handed. Last Monday, a police team with a woman constable went to claim thecustody. The girl, who just turned 18, appealed to the court and requested to be released on a personal bond as she wants to stay with Shahrukh. She pleaded that if she was forcibly sent to her parents, they would kill her. The judge turned down her plea and gave custody to Gujarat Police. The girl kept pleading: “I will be killed once they take me from here.” Her parents had accompanied the police team. Several human rights groups have questioned the court order and are planning to move the Calcutta High Court seeking protection for the girl and asking for directions to let her return and, if she is willing , marry Shahrukh.