A case that began with a complaint of a kidnapping attempt turned around after the Karnataka police found the story to be fabricated and alleged injuries fake. On Monday, in Belthangady, near Mangalore, a minor college student approached the police, alleging she was stopped while travelling to her college on a scooter.
The girl claimed that masked men in a car attempted to kidnap her and assaulted her with a knife before fleeing the scene.
Based on her complaint, police registered a case and shifted her to the Belthangady Government Hospital for treatment.
As the incident triggered public alarm, local MLA Harish Poonja and senior police officers visited the hospital, enquired about her health, and gathered details regarding the incident.
The student had initially told police that the car's number plate was covered with cloth, three masked men were involved, and that her bag was taken away by the kidnappers.
Based on this information, police examined CCTV footage from the surrounding areas but did not find any corroborative evidence.
When investigators sought further clarification regarding the vehicle, its colour, and the exact location of the incident, the student reportedly became inconsistent in her responses, raising suspicion.
During detailed questioning, the student eventually admitted that no kidnapping attempt had taken place. She disclosed that she wanted to discontinue studies at a rural college and instead seek admission in a college in Mangaluru city. To support this plan, she admitted to self-inflicting injuries and staging the kidnapping narrative.
"When we did the medical examination the injuries were noticed to be superficial, the doctor's assessment was that it could be self inflicted. During confrontation and cross questioning, the girl confessed that she lied because she didn't want to do to the college in Belthangady and instead wanted to go to a college in Mangaluru," said Dr Arun K, Superintendent of Police Dakshina Kannada.
An eyewitness also claimed three men ran away after seeing him and he dropped the girl home. But when police questioned him, he claimed the girl narrated story and he just repeated it, the police said.
Police also found that the student had burnt her books near her residence and falsely claimed that they were taken away by the alleged kidnappers to strengthen her story.
Based on medical evidence, inconsistencies in her statement, and her eventual confession, police closed the kidnapping angle of the case.
"We have counselled the girl and are questioning others to ascertain if there is more to the story," Arun K added.
