Police Recover Abducted Minor in Hangu, Arrest Three Suspects

CHARSADDA: Police have safely recovered a 15-year-old girl who was allegedly abducted at gunpoint and arrested three suspects, including a woman, during an operation in Hangu district. The recovery followed an investigation launched after authorities in Charsadda were informed of the alleged abduction earlier this week.

District Police Officer Rifatullah Khan said during a press conference that Sardheri police received information about the incident on September 10. Investigators began tracing the teenager and examining the circumstances surrounding her disappearance, eventually locating her in Hangu, outside the district where the case was initially reported.

According to the preliminary police investigation, the alleged abduction was connected to a marriage dispute involving the two families. Authorities said members of the suspects' side had previously approached the girl's family with a marriage proposal. The proposal was rejected, after which the teenager was allegedly taken away at gunpoint.

Police said the girl was recovered safely during the operation in Hangu. Three people were taken into custody, including a woman. Two male suspects were identified by authorities as Shaukat, son of Ayaz, and Riaz, son of Khanzada. Officials did not immediately disclose further information about the identity of the detained woman.

The case remains under investigation, and the allegations against those arrested will be examined through the legal process. Police have not announced whether additional suspects are being sought or whether further arrests are expected. Authorities also have not disclosed additional details about how investigators traced the teenager to Hangu or how long she had been at the location from which she was recovered.

The recovery brings the immediate search for the girl to an end while shifting the focus to the criminal investigation into the alleged armed abduction. Investigators are expected to establish the precise sequence of events, determine the roles allegedly played by each detained suspect and collect evidence needed for subsequent legal proceedings.

Because the victim is a minor, her identity has not been publicly disclosed in the available account. The case has also drawn attention to the serious consequences that can arise when family or marriage disputes escalate into alleged coercion and violence. Police statements so far indicate that the rejected marriage proposal is being treated as a central element of the investigation rather than as a separate or unrelated dispute.

Authorities said further investigation is continuing. The next developments are expected to depend on the findings of investigators, including any additional evidence gathered from the suspects and other people connected with the case, before police determine whether further arrests or formal legal action are required.