11-year-old girl saves minor from kidnapper in Mizoram

An 11-year-old girl has showed exemplary courage and alertness to save another minor, who had been kidnapped for trafficking by a woman, in Mizoram, a police officer said Thursday.

The woman was arrested and the kidnapped seven-year-old girl reunited with her parents on Wednesday night, Deputy Inspector General of Police (Northern Range) Lalbiakthanga Khiangte said here.

Caroline Malsawmtluangi, the 11-year-old, was playing with her friends near her home in Zuangtui locality in eastern Aizawl on Monday when an unknown girl joined them.

She did not give it much of a thought at that time but policemen in plainclothes visited the area the next day in search of a girl who had gone missing from a village in Lunglei district.

Khiangte said the policemen showed Caroline the photograph of the missing girl and she informed them that she had seen her.

After being advised by the policemen to inform them if she saw the minor girl again, Caroline went to search for her in the neighbourhood on her own.

She finally found her and the alleged abductor, later identified as 31-year-old Zonunsangin Fanai, at a house, Khiangte said, adding that Fanai tried to send her away but Caroline waited.

Sensing an opportunity, Caroline lifted the girl on her back and started running towards her home, the DIG said.

When the woman saw them, she ordered Caroline to stop and even threatened to harm her by pelting stones.

Caroline, however, continued running and after reaching home, told everything to her parents, the DIG added.

Her parents informed the police and the seven-year-old was rescued and Fanai arrested.

Khiangte said Fanai had kidnapped the girl from Thualtu village in southern Mizoram's Lunglei district on Sunday and brought her to Aizawl.

Fanai was in Thualtu with her husband but left the village after he allegedly assaulted her, the police officer said.

A local court has remanded Fanai to judicial custody for 14 days.