Student missing for a week returns, says she married electrician from her college

A final-year BBA student who went missing from her house in Indore has returned seven days later, claiming she married an electrician she met on a train to Ratlam.

During initial questioning, the student, Shraddha, revealed that she had originally planned to elope with her boyfriend Sarthak. However, when Sarthak didn’t turn up at the railway station, she boarded a train to Ratlam, where she said she got in touch with another lover, Karandeep, an electrician at a college in Indore.

Shraddha said she was surprised to find Karandeep travelling on the same train, and the two decided to get married. She added that they first went to Mandsaur and then to Maheshwar, about 250 kilometres away, where they tied the knot in a temple. After visiting Sanwariya Seth, she returned directly to the Indore police station.

Meanwhile, the police remain unconvinced by Shraddha’s account and have asked her to provide a marriage certificate. When questioned, Sarthak claimed he had not been in touch with Shraddha for several days.

Her father, Anil Tiwari, shocked by his daughter’s claim of being married, said, "Shraddha had contacted me, but I do not accept this marriage. Even after I sent her money to return, she chose to stay with Karandeep."

Shraddha's father further raised concerns about her mental state, citing Karandeep who claimed to have saved her from suicide. "But my daughter is not mentally stable. Karandeep himself told me that he met her at the station when she was about to commit suicide, and that he saved her," said Tiwari.

Shraddha's father, motivated by superstition, believes hanging her photo upside down helped bring her back. The family had also announced a reward of Rs 51,000 for anyone who could provide information about her whereabouts while she was missing.

On August 23, nearby CCTV footage showed Shraddha leaving her home at around 2 am without a mobile phone, complicating search efforts. Following her disappearance, the family and police found no substantial leads for a week.

Despite his concerns, Anil Tiwari said, "My daughter is an adult. If she chooses to live alone, whatever decision she takes, we will have to accept it." The family's next steps remain uncertain as the investigation continues.

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