Surat, June 28: Yet another case of kidnap and rape of a minor girl has surfaced in the city within a span of 15 days. A minor girl was kidnapped from the Punagam area in Surat on Tuesday and was allegedly raped in Junagadh.
The 14-year-old girl, a resident of Punagam, had left home on Tuesday telling her parents that she was going to the diamond firm in Varachha where she worked.
But when she failed to return till night, her parents began a search. They went to the diamond firm and asked the manager about her, who told them that she had not come to work on Tuesday.
Thereafter, the girl’s father lodged a missing complaint with the Kapodara police station on Wednesday.
Later he learnt that his daughter was kidnapped by one Praful Patel, a resident of Ishwarnagar in Punagam, and that she was somewhere in Junagadh. He then contacted the Surat police commissioner to bring his daughter back, alleging that she had been kidnapped.
He also lodged a kidnapping complaint with the Crime Branch police station in this regard.
Later on Friday evening, the girl returned to Surat and narrated her story to the police, who also learnt after questioning her that the accused had raped her.
She was brought to the New Civil Hospital for medical examination on Saturday.
The police have now launched a manhunt for Patel, who is at large.
Sub-Inspector V J Rathod of the Crime Branch said: “We have found that the girl and the accused were both working at the diamond firm in Varachha. She was having an affair with Patel.”
He added: “On Tuesday, she refused to accompany him while on her way to work, and Patel forcibly took her to Junagadh in an autorickshaw where he allegedly raped her. We are now searching for the accused, who will be arrested soon.”
—–Agencies