The police claim she left home on her own, unwilling to return to her father

Just when the disappearance of a 14-year-old girl in West Bengal was snowballing into a major controversy, the State police on Monday claimed that the teenager has approached them and said that she left her house on her own and any “not under any compulsion”.

“Tuktuki Mondal, of Morgahat, who went missing from May 5, has returned on her own. She told us that she had willingly left the house,” Inspector General of Police, Law and Order, Anuj Sharma told journalists at the State secretariat.

Mr Sharma added that the girl has told the police that she does not want to return to her father. According to the police, earlier in February this year the girl had left her home and had given a statement before a Court that she had left home willingly.

No arrests have been made so far, senior officers said.

Victory, says BJP

The development also brought an end to the five-day protests organised outside Mograghat police station by the BJP. Notwithstanding the fact that the police said that the girl was not kidnapped, State BJP president Rahul Sinha, who was leading the protests, described it a “victory”.

Mr Sinha, however, said that the claims made by the administration are an attempt to the shield the Trinamool Congress activists who are behind the disappearance.

“The administration did not do anything for 80 days and within five days of the BJP protests, the girl returned,” he said.

The BJP was raising the pitch over the issue and a number of Central party leaders had visited the State demanding action. The parents of the girl have gone into hiding and are under the protection of Hindu Samhati, a right wing organisation.

NCW chairperson meets parents

Meanwhile, National Commission for Women chairperson Lalitha Kumaramangalam visited the State during the day and met the parents of the missing girl.

She told journalists that after speaking with the parents of the girl, “lack of sufficient police action” seemed evident. Ms Kumaramangalam said that the members of the team will also meet senior police officers and send their recommendations to the State government in this matter.