The teenaged couple whose sudden disappearance from Madhubani in Bihar over a month ago had sparked violent protests across the State and snowballed into a major controversy were found in Mehrauli in Delhi on Monday. Two persons were killed in police firing amid violent protests in the wake of the couple’s disappearance.
The 17-year-old student of a public school had gone missing along with the daughter of a district education officer in the first week of September and a case of kidnapping was registered at the Madhubani police station on September 11. The case took a new turn on October 2 when a headless male body was found near the local railway line, which was thought to be that of the missing teenager. The boy’s family urged the police to hand over the body for cremation, but the police said the age of the deceased didn’t match that of the missing teenager as per the autopsy. The police wanted a DNA test done.
Their patience running out, the teenager’s family along with local villagers and students went on dharna at the Collectorate. The police allegedly used force to disperse the protesters and the mob went on the rampage, torching the Collectorate, the Sub-Divisional Officer’s office, police stations and vehicles.
The Administration ordered the police to fire at the mob, as a result of which two persons were killed. The incident snowballed into a major controversy with some political parties calling for a bandh.
In a dramatic turn of events on Monday, the couple, both students of Class X, were spotted at a tea stall in Mehrauli by local resident M.N. Jha and the police were informed.
The two purportedly told the police that they stayed in Ranchi, Jammu and Darjeeling for brief spells after eloping and had arrived in Delhi by Brahamaputra Mail on Monday morning.
