New Delhi: In a bizarre turn of events, a 36-year-old woman from Uttar Pradesh’s Hardoi district has allegedly abandoned her husband and six children to elope with a beggar. Her husband, Raju, has lodged a police complaint under Section 87 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The cops have registered a case in this regard and initiated an investigation to apprehend the accused.
According to the complaint filed by 45-year-old Raju, his wife Rajeshwari and their six children are residents of Hardoi’s Harpalpur area. Raju said that a beggar named Nanhe Pandit frequently visited their locality. Pandit reportedly started having frequent conversations with Rajeshwari. They also talking on the phone.
Wife left home with money the man saved
Raju recounted the events leading up to his wife’s disappearance. “Around 2pm on 3rd January, my wife informed our daughter Khushboo that she was going to the market to buy clothes and vegetables. When she did not return, I searched for her everywhere but to no avail. She left home with the money I had saved from selling a buffalo. I strongly suspect that Nanhe Pandit has taken her with him,” Raju alleged in his complaint, NDTV reported.
The incident came to light after Raju approached the local police, who have since launched a search for Pandit. Harpalpur Station House Officer (SHO) Rajdev Mishra confirmed the filing of the FIR and said, “A complaint has been registered against the beggar, and we are investigating the matter thoroughly.”
What Section 87 of BNS says
Section 87 of the BNS, under which the case has been registered, prescribes punishment for abducting a woman with intent to compel her into marriage or illicit relations. It states, “Whoever kidnaps or abducts any woman with intent that she may be compelled, or knowing it to be likely that she will be compelled, to marry any person against her will, or in order that she may be forced or seduced to illicit intercourse… shall be punished with imprisonment for a term up to ten years and shall also be liable to a fine.”