Pulwama ‘Kidnapping’ a Hoax: Girls fabricated story to skip school

PULWAMA — In a dramatic turn of events, the alleged kidnapping of two minor girls in Gadbug, Ratnipora, has been exposed as a fabricated story concocted by the children to avoid attending school due to unfinished homework.

Police investigations revealed that the girls, along with their parents, initially misled authorities before confessing to the false claims.

Initial panic and “kidnapping” drama

On Monday (April 7), the two Class 5 students from Government Upper Primary School Gadbug had claimed they were abducted by two men in a Maruti Alto car while on their way to school. The girls had alleged that they resisted the kidnappers, even banging a water bottle against the car window, and later escaped in Narwa village.

The families had lodged a formal complaint at the Police Station Pulwama, triggering a police search for the suspects.

As per the police statement, Bilal Ahmad Ganaie, a resident of Ratnipora, Pulwama, lodged a written complaint at Pulwama Police Station alleging that an unknown Alto car driver (Vehicle No. JK01AB-2069) had forcibly taken his 10-year-old daughter and her classmate while they were on their way to school around 9:30 AM. Based on the complaint, police registered FIR No. 91/2025 under Section 137(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and initiated an investigation.

Interestingly, the families later called media persons to report the incident and requested strict action from the local police. The video story became viral on the internet given the disturbing details, which were of course made up, shared by the minor girls.

Police probe uncovers the truth

However, during sustained questioning in the probe on the next day, the case took a drastic turn. The Child Welfare Committee (CWC) and a court recorded the statements of the two minor girls. Unlike the initial accusation, the girls revealed that they had made up a fabricated story and admitted that no kidnapping had taken place. They revealed that they had walked to Narwa from Ratnipora on their own and fabricated the story to skip school. Their parents also corroborated their statements.

A senior police officer involved in the investigation told The Kashmir Pulse on Wednesday that the girls initially gave a detailed but false account, even providing a car number. However, under questioning, they broke down and confessed that they had fabricated the story to avoid school.

Additionally, CCTV footage from the area confirmed that no vehicle had forcibly picked up the children, nor was there any abduction attempt. The police concluded that the kidnapping claim was entirely false.

Families apologize, police issue warning

The families expressed regret for the panic caused by the false complaint. Police, while not pursuing legal action against the minors and their families, have issued a stern warning against such misleading reports, which waste law enforcement resources and create unnecessary fear in society.

Authorities have urged the public to verify facts before filing complaints, as false reports waste valuable investigative resources and create unnecessary panic.

The police are now planning to shut the case, calling it an act of misinformation and not done with ill intention.

Local residents’ reactions mixed

Local residents, who had earlier rallied in support of the families, expressed disappointment over the hoax. Some, however, sympathized with the children, citing academic pressure as a possible reason for the extreme step.

“We understand children sometimes act out of fear, but fabricating a kidnapping is serious. Parents must ensure proper guidance,” said a neighbour in Gadbug, wishing not to be named.

Meanwhile, the incident triggered a debate among teachers and child psychologists, who stress open communication among children, their parents, and schools. “This is an awakening call to realize what’s causing kids to fear coming to school to the point that they’d make up such a serious tale,” said a school counsellor in the area, wishing anonymity.