Woman files missing complaint 18 years after husband disappeared

Valsad (Guj), Aug 19: Eighteen years after her husband went missing, a woman lodged a missing complaint at Bhilad police station here, albeit not to trace him but to sell the property in his name to finance their daughter's marriage, the police said on Monday.

Manju Janaksinh Parmar (50), a resident of Borlai village of Umargam taluk here filed a complaint with Bhilad police last week stating that her husband, Janaksinh Parmar, had left home in January 1995 without informing her and had not returned yet. When police asked her why she didn't file a complaint till now, Manju told them that she was then dissuaded by her relatives and villagers who told her not to do so.

"Villagers and relatives informed me that there is no use in filing a police complaint as cops won't be able to help trace your husband," she told police. Manju's son Dhanraj Parmar, now 22, drives a tempo to earn livelihood but does not recall exactly when his father left him. "I don't remember the year or month when pappa left home," Dhanraj said, before consulting his mother to know the month and year when his father left the home.

However, Bhilad Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Babulal Ramkrishna told that the family lodged an FIR to sell their property, which was in Janaksinh Parmar's name. "We want to sell our property, which is in our father's name," Dhanraj confirmed, adding that their lawyer had told them lodging an FIR would ease the process of selling the property.

"I have two sisters. My elder sister has been married but we had to sell this piece of property (a 300 square feet home) to arrange finance for the marriage of second sister," he said.

PTI