Jaipur police witnesses heartbreaking scene as abducted child refuses to leave abductor

JAIPUR: A poignant scene unfolded at a Jaipur police station in Rajasthan recently, where a two-year-old boy named Prithvi, who had been abducted, broke into tears, refusing to separate from his abductor. The emotional moment occurred when police attempted to hand the boy over to his mother, only to find that the child clung to the accused, crying uncontrollably. The abductor, identified as Tanuj Chhagar, also broke down in tears, unable to bear the separation. Eventually, with great difficulty, the police managed to reunite the child with his mother, though the child continued to cry. A video of the incident has since gone viral on social media.

Prithvi was abducted 14 months ago by Tanuj, a resident of Agra, who went missing with the boy from the Sanganar Sadar area of Jaipur. A reward of ₹25,000 had been announced for information leading to Tanuj's capture. Tanuj was found living as a hermit in a hut near the Yamuna River in Vrindavan, where he reportedly cared for Prithvi as his own son.

During their investigation, police discovered that Tanuj had adopted the lifestyle of a hermit. In an effort to apprehend him, officers disguised themselves as monks and infiltrated the area where he was staying. On August 27, police received information that Tanuj had traveled to Aligarh. When confronted by police in Aligarh, Tanuj attempted to flee with the child but was ultimately captured after a chase.

Further investigation revealed that Tanuj is a relative of Prithvi’s mother, Poonam. According to police, Tanuj harbored a desire to live with Poonam, a wish she did not share. This rejection led Tanuj to kidnap Prithvi. Tanuj reportedly believed that Poonam would eventually give in to his demands if he held onto the child.