Bengaluru Kidnapping: Rajasthan Woman Taken Away, Car Chase Leaves 6 Injured
A 21-year-old woman from Rajasthan was allegedly taken from her Bengaluru residence by four men linked to her family after she married a 23-year-old man against her family’s wishes, police said. The alleged abduction on Wednesday evening led to a road chase and multiple collisions that injured six people.
The woman, identified as Pooja, had married Om Prakash, also from Rajasthan, around eight to nine months ago. The couple subsequently moved to Bengaluru and had been living in Agrahara Dasarahalli, according to police and reports from NDTV and India Today.
Woman allegedly taken from Bengaluru home
According to Bengaluru Police, four men arrived at the couple’s residence on Wednesday and allegedly forcibly took Pooja away in a Hyundai Venue.
NDTV reported that Pooja’s family, which opposed the marriage, had sent the men to Bengaluru. Police said the vehicle used in the incident carried Rajasthan registration number RJ 22 CC 9691.
India Today reported that locals heard the woman screaming and attempted to stop the vehicle. The men allegedly drove away as people began following them.
The vehicle was later involved in several collisions while attempting to flee. Police said six people were injured.
Car chase leaves six injured
The incident unfolded at around 8 p.m., according to India Today. The Hyundai Venue collided with several vehicles during the escape, injuring six people.
The injured were identified as Prithviraj, 12; Yashika, 9; Amul, 35; Mani, 64; Jayalakshmi, 57; and Santosh, 33, according to NDTV. Jayalakshmi suffered a head injury and was admitted to an intensive care unit.
Locals continued pursuing the vehicle and eventually stopped it. India Today reported that people pelted the car with stones as they tried to prevent it from escaping. Pooja was rescued and handed over to police.
The precise sequence of the collisions remains under investigation. India Today also reported an eyewitness claim that more than 20 people were injured and that some people attempting to stop the vehicle were attacked with a machete. Police, however, had confirmed six people injured by the vehicle at the time of the report.
Three arrested, driver remains on the run
Police identified the four men involved as Saddam, Rakesh, Karan and Ayan.
Rakesh, 31, Karan, 25, and Ayan, 18, all from Rajasthan, were taken into custody. Saddam, who police said was driving the vehicle, remained absconding as of the latest reports reviewed for this article. The Hyundai Venue was also seized.
NDTV reported that police suspect Saddam panicked after Pooja began screaming and drove erratically during the escape. The vehicle reportedly struck three or four two-wheelers.
Police are questioning Pooja and the other people involved at Vijayanagar police station as they investigate both the alleged abduction and the subsequent collisions.
Family’s alleged role under investigation
Police are also examining how the four men located the couple’s home.
NDTV reported that Pooja had remained in contact with a paternal aunt after her marriage. Investigators suspect that information from those conversations may have helped the men locate the couple in Bengaluru. The aunt’s alleged role remains part of the police investigation and should not be treated as established criminal responsibility at this stage.
The case follows a marriage that the reports say was opposed by the families. Pooja and Om Prakash had moved from Rajasthan to Bengaluru after marrying.
For now, police are investigating the circumstances surrounding Pooja’s alleged removal from her residence, the actions of the men who took her away, and the collisions that occurred during their escape.
The investigation was ongoing as of September 17, with one of the four men still at large and the injured receiving treatment. The legal action against those involved will depend on the findings of the police investigation and the complaints formally registered in the case.
