The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Attempt to abduct children foiled, woman held

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jul 19, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Attempt to abduct children foiled, woman held

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI, JULY 18. An attempt to abduct two children and employ them as domestic workers in Kerala was foiled by the Government Railway Police at the Central station on Friday.

The police arrested Sudha of Nungambakkam here. She was remaned to 15 days judicial custody. A case has been registered against her for offences under Section 362 (abduction by compulsion or by deceitful means) of IPC.

According to M.R. Nandakumar, Deputy Superintendent of Railway Police, Central station, Sudha and Hameedha Beevi, aunt of the children, became friends during a train journey a fortnight ago.

Last week, Sudha told Hameedha that she was looking for girls to work as maidservants in private houses in Kerala. Hameedha brought her brother's children — Thulani (10) and Sahira (8), residing at Tituttani — with permission from their mother and handed them over to Sudha on condition that the parents be allowed to talk to their children regularly.

Though initially they were able to talk to their wards, later they found that the mobile number given to them was not valid.

Even after they rushed to the city from Tiruttani, their search for the girls remained futile, and they lodged a complaint with the Railway police.

Hameedha said, "the woman promised protection and better life to my nieces. After she took custody of the girls, I received Rs. 1,000 from her", she said.

Bava Hussain, father of the children, said, " my sister took my daughters to Sudha when I was not home. In my absence, she got my wife's consent and brought the children here".

Following the complaint, the railway police set a trap.

A woman inspector, tracing Sudha's new mobile number, contacted her and offered "to sell" a couple of girls and asked her to come to a designated spot. The police went there and arrested the woman, said Mr. Nandakumar.

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