A 24-year-old man, Mohammad Israfil Ansari, has been arrested by police in Bhimtal, Uttarakhand. He is accused of trapping a 16-year-old girl in a love trap on social media, posing as a Hindu named Munna Kumar Mahato. The minor girl is from the neighboring country, Nepal. According to the information given by Virendra Kumar Singh, Director of Mission Mukti Foundation, Ansari lured the girl into a relationship and then brought her to Uttarakhand from Nepal on December 11, 2023, under the promise of marriage. The girls family reported her missing soon after.Months-long search leads to arrestAfter a month of searching, the girls family received a call from an Indian number, with the caller telling them to forget about the girl. This prompted them to contact the anti-human trafficking unit of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) in Bihar.Joint operation recovers girlWith the help of the Nepali Embassy, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, and the Nainital SSP, a joint operation was launched based on information provided by the SSB. The girl was successfully recovered from Bhimtal, and Ansari was apprehended.Charges and investigation continuesAn FIR (First Information Report) has been registered against Ansari for rape, kidnapping, and violations of the POCSO Act (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act) and the Child Marriage Retribution Act. He is currently under arrest and being questioned.The girl reportedly told authorities that she only learned Ansaris true identity when he forgot his phone at home, and a relative used his real name while calling him. His relatives called and asked him to talk to Mohammad Israfil Ansari. Before this, his name was known as Munna Mahato.
