Awakash Kumar, Begusarai superintendent of police, told this correspondent over the phone that the girl was recovered from Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad district.

“A police team was sent to Ghaziabad. The accused has been arrested. I cannot comment more on the case until the girl has given her statement to the magistrate and her medical tests are done,” Kumar said.

A first information report (FIR) in the case was registered at Muffasil Police Station’s Dumri block on 22 November (FIR number 612/19) under IPC sections 366 (procuration of minor girl) and 364 (kidnapping or abducting in order to murder).

Mohammad Jaseem alias Sameer was named as accused based on the statement of the girl’s mother.

The girl’s uncle told this correspondent that the family is relieved. “She [the girl] is still in police custody. We have not been able to talk to her much,” he said.

About two weeks ago, accused Jaseem sent a series of WhatsApp messages to the girl’s family. The messages contained images of the girl’s religious conversion and nikah papers (see image below), and a few, short, mobile-shot videos of her.