Dahod village observes bandh as youth elopes with minor girl

Vadodara: The Gangardi village in Garbada taluka of Dahod district observed bandh after a youth allegedly eloped with a minor girl from a different faith. A section of villagers submitted a memorandum to the district administration seeking action against the youth under the Gujarat Freedom of Religion Act (GFRA).
A memorandum submitted by some leaders and residents of the village to the executive magistrate at Garbada stated that the youth had enticed the minor girl and abducted her.They demanded that strict action should be taken against the youth. They also demanded that the minor girl should be handed over to them at the earliest. The memorandum also named four persons who allegedly aided the youth.
The memorandum stated that Gangardi had observed a total bandh in wake of the incident. It requested quick action to ensure that the atmosphere in the village was not vitiated.
An official in the Garbada police station said that while the memorandum was submitted in Garbada, the incident was from the Dahod rural police station. The youth used to stay there and had worked for some time in Gangardi, the official said.