Same-sex student, teacher couple who eloped from Bikaner tracked down in Chennai

The Bikaner Police on Wednesday tracked down a 17-year-old girl and her female teacher in Chennai, days after the two went missing and later posted a video online saying they are in love and wanted to be together, a senior officer said.

Their disappearance on Saturday triggered protests in Sri Dungargarh town of Bikaner district with the minor girl's family members terming it a case of "love jihad" – a phrase often used by right-wing outfits to describe interfaith relationships.

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Inspector General, Bikaner, Omprakash told PTI that a police team had been tracking the couple's movements and located them in Chennai on Wednesday with the help of local Police.

"A team led by a deputy SP was chasing them. They were in Kerala before reaching Tamil Nadu. They have been found at a place in Chennai," the IG said.

The Class 12 student of a private school of Sri Dungargarh town had gone missing on July 1. At the same time, a teacher, Nida Bahleem, aged around 21 years from the same school, was reported missing. Later, the student's family alleged that the teacher had abducted the girl and brainwashed her. They mounted a protest outside the Sri Dungargarh Police Station alleging it to be a case of "love jihad."

Police booked the teacher, her father, and her two brothers on the complaint of the minor girl's family under sections 363 and 366, both related to kidnapping, and 120-B of the IPC. They were also booked under sections of the Juvenile Justice Act.

Meanwhile, the teacher's family filed a missing person report with the Sri Dungargarh Police. On Monday, a 4-minute-long video surfaced on social media in which the minor girl was seen saying that the two had left of their own accord and loved each other.

"We are lesbians and cannot marry any other man, therefore we decided to elope. And if you catch us, then our life will end. Don't file case against their family members. The case of kidnapping is wrong. I am not a small girl who can be coaxed," she said.

The teacher in her turn said, "Don't create unnecessary riots... We are very safe, we will be very happy, leave us."

Police are trying to find out where the video was shot. The teacher also in the video said she did not coax the girl and there was no role of her family behind their leaving together.

Leader of Opposition in the Rajasthan Assembly Rajendra Rathore visited the town on Tuesday and met the girl's family members. He alleged innocent girls are being "brainwashed" and he will raise the matter in the assembly session.