Minor girl kidnapped by Facebook friends, rescued hours later in Goa

Panaji, Feb 16: A 16-old-girl was allegedly kidnapped by two persons, who befriended her on social networking site Facebook, from near her house in Porvorim locality here and hours later she was rescued, police said on Tuesday.

After the rescue operation last night, the Goa police nabbed two persons, one of them a minor boy. While Shabbir Babasaheb Sayed (21) was arrested, the minor boy was sent to a state-run Juvenile Home, they said.

"The college-going girl was kidnapped in a white car and we rescued her within three hours. She has been handed over to the family," Porvorim Police Inspector Jivba Dalvi, who headed the rescue operation, told PTI.

The duo got in touch with her through Facebook and asked her yesterday to come near her house to meet her, the officer said, adding they kidnapped her from there. As the girl did not return home, her family lodged a missing complaint, he added.

Dalvi said police printed photos of most of her Facebook friends and showed to some informants who confirmed the girl was seen near her house with two of them.

Acting on a tip-off, police combed the entire locality and traced the location of the duo with the using technology.

"The duo was still travelling with the girl when they were nabbed in Porvorim," he added.

The police have sent the girl for a medical examination at Goa Medical college and Hospital. A case under relevant section of IPC has been registered against the accused and investigations are underway, police said.

PTI