Srinagar: A day after a large section of media, including Kashmir-based news outlets, reported about a ‘Srinagar woman’ who allegedly eloped with a man from Uttar Pradesh after leaving her first husband, the police have clarified that no such complaint or information regarding such an incident has been received.
A senior officer from Kotwali Rae Bareli clarified that no complaint or information regarding such an incident has been received.
Speaking to Kashmir News Trust, the officer expressed surprise at the widespread coverage, stating, “We have no information about the woman’s location or identity, nor do we know who created this sensationalised story.”
The controversy began after a Delhi-based media outlet reported that a woman from ‘Srinagar’ had left her first husband to marry a man she met on Facebook from Uttar Pradesh. The report was subsequently picked up by several media portals in Kashmir, many of which simply replicated the original story without independent verification.
The officer criticised the lack of due diligence by media outlets, highlighting that none of the reports provided concrete details, such as the girl’s location or identity. “Every outlet relied on copy-paste content from the Delhi-based source without bothering to check the facts. We, as law enforcement, have no information to support the claims made in these stories,” he added.
The officer also said that even if such an incident had occurred, both the persons are adults and free to make their own decisions about marriage. “Unless there is a complaint or a legal issue, it is not a matter requiring police intervention,” he said.
The report has raised questions about journalistic ethics, with critics pointing to the dangers of spreading unverified stories, particularly on sensitive issues involving personal relationships.
As per the viral report, Abiral, an MBBS doctor from Srinagar, married Vinod Kumar in 2017 at an Arya Samaj Mandir in Mohali, Punjab. Over time, their relationship became strained. Meanwhile, Abiral connected with Dr Faizan Ahmed from Rae Bareli, Uttar Pradesh, through Facebook.
Their online friendship grew stronger, and in December 2024, Abiral drove from Srinagar to Rae Bareli to meet Faizan. The two got married in a traditional ceremony, the previous report said, which the officer has now termed baseless.
The report had claimed that the Vinod Kumar had filed a police complaint at the Deeh police station in Rae Bareli. He accused Faizan of luring his wife and claimed that Abiral left with Rs 5 lakh worth of gold, Rs 2 lakh in cash, and a mobile phone.
