In a shocking incident, a 13-year-old girl staged her own kidnapping after being scolded by her mother for using a mobile phone, talking to friends and applying lipstick. The girl, a Class 7 student, left behind a fake ransom note demanding Rs 15 lakh and went missing on Sunday afternoon under the jurisdiction of Khamaria police station. The kept the police on high alert for hours. The incident took place in the Priyadarshini Colony area in Khamaria, when the girl’s mother returned home, she found a one-page handwritten note mentioning that, “Your daughter is with us. If you want her back safely, arrange Rs 15 lakh.” Panicked by the note, the family immediately contacted Khamaria Police. The girl lives with her mother and grandmother after her parents separated 12 years ago. Since the case involved a minor, law enforcement from Jabalpur to Bhopal was put on high alert. Police teams led by CSP Satish Sahu and SHO, Sarojini Chouksey launched a thorough investigation.

 

CCTV footage from the area was reviewed and auto-rickshaw drivers nearby were questioned. One of them informed the police that he had dropped the girl off in the Sadar area. Using her photograph, the police initiated a search operation and within 5 hours, the girl was located wandering in Lane No. 7 of Sadar. Further investigation revealed that the ransom note was written by the girl herself. She had broken her piggy bank to collect some money before leaving the house. The note, written in a threatening tone, warned the family against involving the police and demanded the ransom to be delivered at Badi Khermai Temple by the 10th of the next month. In the questioning, girl told the police that she wanted to escape scolding and live freely for a month. Her mother works full-time and the girl had planned to rent a room using her savings.

 

The police have decided not to press charges due to the girl’s age but have urged parents to maintain open communication and emotional support with children to prevent such incidents in the future. CSP Satish Sahu confirmed that the note was a hoax after matching its handwriting with the girl’s school notebooks. Once the handwriting matched, the whole conspiracy came to light. The girl admitted during questioning that she wanted to live peacefully without being scolded, which led her to stage her own kidnapping.