In a recent hearing concerning the prolonged disappearance of a minor girl, the Jharkhand High Court took significant action by ordering the dismissal of the officer-in-charge at a local police station. The court expressed serious concerns regarding alleged misconduct by the police towards the family of the missing girl, despite a previous directive prohibiting such actions.
The case involves a girl who has been unaccounted for since July 21, 2025, in Bokaro. According to the legal representative of the family, the girl’s mother, Vincent Rohit Marki, reported her daughter missing after she left home to submit an online form. Although the mother approached the authorities on the same day her daughter disappeared, a formal First Information Report (FIR) was not filed until August 4, as noted by the family’s attorney.
The mother recounted that when they visited the police station that night, the officers initially declined to register the FIR. They allegedly warned her that if they mentioned a suspect and her daughter was not found with him, they could face imprisonment without the possibility of bail. The family reported feeling threatened and dissuaded from pursuing their complaint. Eventually, an FIR was filed under kidnapping charges against a local man, who was suspected due to his previous connection with the girl.
In December 2025, the family received a call from an individual claiming that the girl was located in Pune. He described the situation as serious but promised that she would be returned safely. A month later, police managed to locate the caller, identified as Loknath Mahato, and took him into custody in Bokaro; however, he managed to escape from their detention. On April 7, the High Court mandated that no aggressive actions should be taken against the petitioner or her family. Nonetheless, it was reported that another family member was apprehended by authorities on Thursday, prompting further legal proceedings scheduled for April 15.
Shubham Tigga is currently a Correspondent for The Indian Express, based in Pune, where he focuses on the interconnections between infrastructure, labor, and the contemporary economy. His reporting emphasizes civil aviation, urban mobility, the gig economy, and workers’ unions, providing valuable insights into how these sectors affect everyday life for citizens.
Before relocating to Pune, Tigga extensively covered issues pertinent to Indigenous communities, environmental justice, and grassroots movements in his home state of Chhattisgarh. This background enables him to critically assess the implications of large infrastructure projects on local populations.
He is a graduate of the esteemed Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), where he developed his investigative reporting and ethical journalism skills. His academic background, coupled with his practical experience in Central India, equips him to navigate complex socio-economic issues with depth and precision.
For more updates, connect with him on LinkedIn.
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