Gangtok, March 18: Panic triggered by reports of a minor girl’s alleged kidnapping in Sikkim has been traced to a staged incident, with police confirming that the girl herself planned the act and attempted to extort money from her family.
According to an official statement from the Sadar Police Station, messages claiming that the girl had been abducted and a ransom of ₹3 lakh demanded had circulated widely on social media, sparking concern among the public.
Acting swiftly on the information, police launched a search operation and dispatched a team to Siliguri to verify leads. The girl was traced on Wednesday evening at the SNT area in Siliguri, where she was found loitering.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the disappearance had been deliberately orchestrated. Police said the girl had sent WhatsApp messages to her family posing as a kidnapper and demanding ₹3 lakh. To make the situation appear genuine, she also shared voice notes in which she was heard crying and claiming she had been abducted.
Authorities confirmed that the girl has been secured and is being brought back to Gangtok by the police team. Further legal procedures and a detailed inquiry will be initiated following her return.
