Relatives of a 17-year-old girl, along with auto drivers and local residents, blocked the national highway near Basti Jodhewal in Ludhiana for nearly an hour on Saturday, protesting alleged police inaction in tracing the minor who has been missing since June 3. The protest disrupted traffic on the busy highway, leaving vehicles stranded on both sides.
Protest Over Missing Girl
The protesters raised slogans against the police and demanded immediate action, claiming that despite CCTV footage allegedly showing the girl with three persons, no concrete progress had been made in the case. The agitation was called off after senior police officials reached the spot and assured the family that all efforts were being made to trace the girl and that the investigation would be expedited.
Family's Allegations
The girl’s father, an auto driver, said the family had been running from pillar to post since their daughter went missing. He alleged that the police had failed to act promptly despite being provided with information and CCTV footage. According to the FIR registered by the Daresi police, the complainant stated that his 17-year-old daughter left home around 6 am on June 3 for a morning walk but did not return. The family searched for her at relatives’ houses and other places but failed to locate her. The father alleged that three people seen in CCTV footage had lured his daughter away. Based on his complaint, the police registered a case under relevant provisions of the BNS pertaining to the kidnapping of a minor.
Police Response
While addressing the protesters, police officials assured the family that the case was being investigated seriously and that technical surveillance and CCTV footage were being analysed. ADCP Sameer Verma said, “A case has been registered against unidentified men and mobile location data has already been sent for tracing. The accused will soon be nabbed.” SHO Gurmit Singh said, “We are trying to find the girl. As per the investigation so far, she appears to have gone with a boy. Her mobile phone is switched off and our teams are tracing her movements through CCTV footage and other technical means. Efforts are on to locate her at the earliest.”
Ongoing Investigation
Police sources said teams have been formed to trace the minor and several locations are being verified based on available leads. Officials maintained that the investigation is progressing and appealed to the public not to spread rumours regarding the case. The incident has once again brought the issue of missing girls in Ludhiana back into the spotlight. In recent weeks, the matter had drawn public attention after concerns were raised over several girls reportedly going missing from different parts of the city.
The family, however, urged the authorities to ensure the safe recovery of the girl at the earliest, saying they would continue to pursue the matter until she is traced.
