Bhopal, Aug 29 : In two strikingly similar cases from Madhya Pradesh, young women reported missing earlier this month were found married after unexpected journeys across state lines'highlighting the complex intersection of digital relationships, emotional distress, and legal boundaries.

In the Raisen district, Nikita Lodhi, who left home on August 18 claiming she was going to submit a college-related document, was later traced to Sangrur, Punjab. According to police officials, she had married a man named Sandeep, a harvester driver she had befriended through the microblogging social media platform Instagram nearly four years ago. Their online friendship gradually deepened, culminating in a decision to meet in person and marry.

Speaking to IANS, Sub-Divisional Officer (Police) Alok Shrivastav confirmed that Nikita first travelled to Kazigunda near Hyderabad to meet Sandeep. From there, the couple journeyed to Sangrur, where they solemnised their marriage in a temple and sought protection from the local district court. The court granted them police security.

'We recovered her and facilitated a meeting with her family,' the senior police official said. 'They tried to persuade her to return home, but she remained firm in her decision to stay with her newlywed husband. Since both are consenting adults, we cannot intervene further.'

The case prompted a multi-state investigation after Nikita's sudden disappearance, with Raisen Police coordinating efforts alongside her family. 'Legal proceedings could have been continued depending on whether her family appeals the court's protection order, but they have refused to pursue the matter any further.'

In a parallel case from Indore, Shraddha Tiwari, a second-year student at Gujarati College, went missing on August 23 following a dispute with her parents. Her family had announced a fatty reward and hung her photograph upside down'a traditional gesture believed to hasten a missing person's return.

Shraddha's journey began aboard a Ratlam-bound train, where she reportedly contemplated suicide in a fit of rage when the man who was supposed to meet her at the railway station did not turn up, said the police officials. At the brink of despair, she was stopped by Karan Yogi, a former acquaintance and college electrician, who intervened just as she was about to jump from the moving train. The two then travelled to Khargone and Maheshwar, where they married in a temple.

After facing rejection from Karan's family in Palia, they moved to Mandsaur. Shraddha later contacted her father to request documents for formal marriage registration. The couple arrived at the MIG police station in Indore on August 29, where police began piecing together the week-long saga.

Shraddha, visibly quiet and reserved, avoided media interactions, though photos confirmed her marital status. Her father has since demanded a fresh investigation, expressing doubts about the sequence of events.

Both cases underscore the emotional complexity and legal challenges surrounding missing persons, especially when digital relationships and personal agency intersect. Police investigations remain ongoing.

A few days ago, a civil judge aspirant girl from Katni also went missing but was later recovered by the police from the Nepal border. She went missing to escape marriage pressure from her family members.

/IANS