FB brings US girl to Amritsar, kin panic

GS Paul

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, September 19

A 22-year-old US-based woman landed in Amritsar to meet her ‘Facebook’ friend. Whitney Harris, a gym trainer in Maryland, came in contact with Pulkit, 21, a Class XII student from Amritsar, online and decided to meet him.

Meanwhile, one of her uncles, Erin Reynolds Harris, posted a ‘missing’ information about her on his Facebook page, saying ‘ my niece went missing….she left a letter saying she was going to meet someone in Amritsar that she met online. We are obviously very concerned that this is actually part of a human trafficking ring’.

The post caught the attention of Jeevan Jyot, a resident of Amritsar, who managed to track her. “I got to know that the woman landed at the Amritsar airport around 7 am. She was accompanied by Pulkit who received her from New Delhi,” she said.

In another twist, a church pastor, Pastor Samson, and Elder Dr Parkash Masih were also there and insisted upon taking the custody of the woman till her parents reached Amritsar. “I was reluctant but the pastor informed me that he is known to her parents and was in constant touch with them. He also made me talk to her parents,” Jeevan said.

Leaving nothing to chance, she brought the matter to the notice of Deputy Commissioner KS Sangha and Police Commissioner SS Srivastava.

The district administration swung into action and sent a team led by Assistant Commissioner (grievances), Alka, to the residence of Dr Masih.

“We found her to be in safe custody. During counselling, she revealed that she came here willingly and would like to go back as her parents from the US would arrive. She also made video calls to her parents back home to convey about her well-being,” Alka said, adding, “The woman said she had left a note with her parents and avoided discussing it with them before leaving as she feared that they would not allow her to go.”

Meanwhile, Dr Masih said she was a member of Seventh-day Adventist Church with their US wing. “We came to know about her only through our church members in the US and traced her. I have spoken to her parents. Probably, her brother would come here in two to three days to take her back”, he said.

Pulkit’s father, Brij Mohan, said they were looking forward to meet her parents or brother. “So far, there are no set future plans from our side. We will go by what her parents want. She is welcome to our home if she feels comfortable”, he said.