Purnea, March 18: Traffic on Purnea-Saharsa road was paralysed for nearly four hours today as traders of Banmankhi market staged a blockade on National Highway 107 in protest against the alleged abduction of a college student.

Khusbu Kumari, 17, a student of Anandi Janaki Mahila College, was abducted yesterday while she was on her way back home from college in the Banmankhi market area at 3pm. Khusbu, an Intermediate science student, had appeared for the final examination this year. She had gone to the college to take the biology practical test. Khusbu’s father, Nawal Sah, is a trader.

Akhilesh Kumar Singh, a historysheeter, was detained at Banmankhi police station today after he was named accused in the case. The police are interrogating Singh.

The road blockade that started at 11am and continued till 3pm was lifted after Banmankhi sub-divisional officer Manoj Kumar Jha and deputy superintendent of police P.K. Pravin assured the recovery of the kidnapped girl in the “best possible time”.

Jha said: “Traders have blocked the Purnea-Saharsa road, demanding the recovery of the girl, who was allegedly kidnapped yesterday. They are also demanding the immediate arrest of the accused. We assured the demonstrators of proper action. The named accused in the case, Akhilesh Kumar Singh, is being interrogated.”

He added: “It is difficult to say whether the named accused is involved in the incident or not. We can comment only after the probe is over. Efforts are being made to recover the girl.”

Amit Lodha, the superintendent of police, said: “It may not be a kidnapping case. She could have eloped. A father generally registers a case only to save his public image. Local politicians are usually involved in such cases. However, we are looking at it from all angles and investigation only can bring out the truth.”

Sources said Singh has served jail several times in the past in cases related to kidnapping girls from Banmankhi. Singh was granted bail a fortnight back in a case related to abduction and was the named accused in that case too.

Sources added that Singh allegedly abducted girls from the locality and sold them outside the state. He was a member of a gang involved in human trafficking. The daughter of one Shankar Sah was kidnapped eight months back and was recovered from another state, sources said.