9-year-old rescued in Assam's Dergaon after alleged abduction by uncle and aunt in Mariani

A nine-year-old girl has been rescued from Islamnagar in Assam's Dergaon after allegedly being abducted from Mariani by relatives who later demanded a ransom of Rs 60 lakh, police said.

According to police sources, the girl's maternal uncle, Sagar Ghosh, and his wife, Manisha Ghosh, had been staying for three days at Room No. 109 of Loknath Bhawan in Mariani before the incident. On Tuesday afternoon, the two allegedly went to the house of their relative and took the girl away by deception, police said.

When the child did not return home for several hours, her family grew alarmed. At around 5 p.m., the alleged kidnappers demanded Rs 60 lakh in ransom and warned the family against informing the police, reportedly threatening to kill the girl if the money was not paid by 8 p.m., according to police.

The girl's father alerted journalists, while Mariani Police launched an operation to trace her. Acting on the information received, police tracked and rescued the girl from Islamnagar in Dergaon at around 2 a.m. She is reported to be safe.

Two men have been arrested in connection with the case: Sagar Ghosh, alias Tarzen, apprehended from Koilakhata in Dergaon; and Wasim Rahman, alias Kanakai, arrested from Islamnagar. Three others remain absconding: Manisha Ghosh; Rahul Ali, a resident of Islamnagar in Dergaon; and a third person identified only as Mon, from Phukan Nagar in Dergaon. Police have launched a search operation to apprehend them.

Police have also seized a Maruti Suzuki Baleno (registration AS05B 9917) and a red scooter (registration AS05W 4263), both allegedly used in the abduction.

The rescued girl has been handed over to her family, while police continue efforts to trace the three absconding suspects.