Bihar State Women’s Commission. Telegraph picture

Patna, Aug. 10: A girl from Chhapra, who was abandoned by her lover when she got pregnant, has found protection under the wings of the Bihar State Women’s Commission in the state capital. The commission is now trying to trace the youth who promised to marry her.

The 20-year-old girl from Masra village arrived at Patna Junction yesterday with the intention of meeting the chief minister at his janata darbar. Nitish Kumar usually meets citizens of the state at his official residence at 1 Aney Marg on the first Monday of each month. The janata darbar for this month was held on August 8.

The girl, however, had no clue of the schedule or the venue for the meet. So she boarded an autorickshaw and told the driver to take her to Bailey Road. A co-passenger realised that she was lost and escorted her to the office of the women’s commission. The officers of the commission sent her to a remand home last night. This morning, she was handed over to her parents, who came to Patna after being informed about their daughter.

Kahkashan Perween, the chairman of Bihar State Women’s Commission, told The Telegraph: “The girl was dropped off at our office yesterday by a man, who helped her after she lost her way. The commission has taken the matter into consideration. We are trying to contact the boy, who, according to the girl, refused to marry her before abandoning her. They got into a physical relationship after the boy promised to marry her. However, now that she is pregnant, the boy has backtracked on his word.”

Perween said the girl’s parents had been informed about their daughter. “They said they would get her medically examined. According to the results, they would take further steps. The commission will look into the matter irrespective of the results of the medical examination. The boy will be asked to appear before the commission and explain why he backtracked on his promise.”

The girl, who is a Class X student at present, said she wants to get married to her lover. Sources said the boy, around 21 years old, lives close to her house in their village. The two of them have known each other for the past seven years. At first, she did not accept his hand of friendship. Her cousin and she used to take private tuitions from him. Around two-and-a-half years ago, she stopped taking tuitions, and later got into a physical relationship.

The girl said: “He used to call me Sapna and had promised that he would marry me. Now that I am pregnant, he says he has committed a mistake and cannot marry me. He is worried about what everyone will say. He claims that since he hails from a higher caste, he cannot marry me. However, as I am pregnant, I have to marry him.”

The girl’s parents, however, do not want her to get married to her lover. Her mother claimed that she was not pregnant at all.