More than 150 years after Laxmibai, the Rani of Jhansi, waged a valiant struggle against the British, her name is grabbing attention again.
More than 150 years after Laxmibai, the Rani of Jhansi, waged a valiant struggle against the British, her name is grabbing attention again.
Not exactly for the heroics associated with the legendary queen, though. Interpol has launched a hunt for her namesake who has been missing for six years.
Jhansirani Laxmibai, a resident of Villupuram in Tamil Nadu, disappeared from home in 2004. She was 15 then.
Police have been on a wild goose chase ever since. Despite filing a case in 2004 — case number 1226/2004 — and launching an investigation, Villupuram West Police have made no headway.
On December 18, 2006, the Madras high court ordered that the case be handed over to CBI, which has re-registered the case and started fresh investigations.
The agency’s probe threw up the name of Ahmed Basha. After it was established that Basha had eloped with 15-year-old Jhansirani, a massive manhunt was launched for the two. CBI filed a chargesheet under IPC section 363 against Basha. He was later declared a proclaimed offender.
“A non-bailable warrant was issued against Basha. It is pending execution,” CBI spokesperson Harsh Bhal told DNA on Tuesday.
“A Yellow Notice vide control number F-882/3-2010 in the name of Jhansirani Laxmibai and Blue Notice vide control number B-482/3-2010 was published on March 3, 2010, and March 8, 2010, by Interpol at the request of the CBI superintendent of police in Chennai,” Bhal said.
The notice mentions that at the time of her disappearance, Jhansirani stood at 1.4 metres and weighed 40 kg.
The colour of her eyes and hair is black and she has a black scar on her forehead and another on the back of her neck, the Interpol notice said. It added that she was fluent in English and Tamil.
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