BHOPAL: Love blurred age when a 70-year-old man eloped with a 15-year-old girl, whom he tutored on religion till a few months ago. The man was booked for abduction late on Wednesday as the girl is a minor, police said.

The accused, Hafeez, is a resident of Bajaria while minor resided in Kazi camp area of old city. The girl was a student of Class X and lived with her grandmother. Her father is based in Jhansi.

The love-struck septuagenarian came in contact with the girl a year ago. He delivered religious discourse to the girl at her home, but stopped going to her home for last six months, police said. But they had fallen in love by then and were in touch.

On March 4, he brought the girl to his room. When residents of the neighbourhood objected, the girl and man swiftly moved out. A missing persons report was lodged by her grandmother the same night.

The elderly woman suspected Hafeez had abducted her granddaughter. When police searched his room, he too was found missing. The jigsaw fell in place and a case of abduction was registered against Hafeez. Police said they were trying to track the girl through her mobile tower location.

Investigations revealed that Hafeez lived alone and doubled up as a quack to treat childless couples.

Jehangirabad police is also digging old records to find out if Hafeez was booked for rape five years ago.

