Bantwal: Thieves leave mentally ill girl near highway in middle of night

Mounesh Vishwakarma
Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal (EP)

Bantwal, Mar 6: In a heart-rending incident, thieves who broke into a house here not only decamped with cash and jewellery, they also took a mentally ill girl who was in the house to a desolate place at night and left her there.

The incident occurred near national highway 75 at Maripalla in Farangipete in the house belonging to Mariyamma. Her 14-year-old daughter was the one kidnapped by the thieves.

The thieves who entered the house by the back door, took away cash and jewellery collectively valued at Rs 95,000.

Mariyamma’s husband stays abroad, while her children and sister Zubeida stay with her in the house at Maripalla. All of them had gone to sleep at around 10 pm, after which the thieves broke the back door latch and entered.

As per the complaint filed by the family, the thieves looted two gold chains weighing two sovereigns, and Rs 15,000 in cash.

It is said the mentally and physically challenged girl, who was witness to the theft, was taken by the culprits towards the highway and left near a house about two furlongs away. They also threw stones at a house there before fleeing the spot. The people of that house who woke up to the sound, heard a girl weeping. They alerted the neighbours and after a search, the girl was found.

Meanwhile, Mariyamma's family got up and informed the police about the theft. They panicked on realizing that Mariyamma's daughter was missing. After a long search, they found her near a house at around 3.15 am, and brought her back.

Bantwal circle inspector Rajashekar Mistry, Bantwal rural sub-inspector Nagaraj and other policemen arrived and inspected the spot. Canine squad and fingerprint experts were also called.

A case has been registered in Bantwal rural police station.