In a surprising turn of events from Hardoi district, Uttar Pradesh, a man missing for nearly seven years was traced and arrested after being spotted by his wife in an Instagram reel. Jitendra Kumar, alias Bablu, disappeared mysteriously in 2018 amid allegations of dowry harassment in his marriage to Sheelu, leaving her and their young son abandoned and burdened by social stigma.
The recent Instagram reel filmed in Ludhiana, Punjab, where Jitendra is seen living a new life with another woman, unraveled his staged disappearance and deceptions.
The Social Media Lead That Cracked the Case
Married in 2017, Jitendra and Sheelu’s union deteriorated rapidly under the strain of dowry demands. Sheelu faced repeated harassment, including demands for a gold chain and ring. When these demands were unmet, she was reportedly cast out of her marital home.
Her family subsequently filed a formal complaint against Jitendra for dowry harassment. The situation escalated when Jitendra vanished during the investigation, prompting a missing person report by his father. Suspicions poisoned relationships further when Jitendra’s family accused Sheelu’s kin of foul play in his disappearance.
Legal Proceedings and Police Response
For years, Sheelu lived with uncertainty and hardship, raising their son alone in her maternal home. Her hope and search for truth culminated unexpectedly when she saw her husband in social media reels where he appeared with a different woman in Ludhiana, Punjab. Upon recognizing him, she immediately alerted the Kotwali Sandila police, reopening investigation into his whereabouts. Confirming the woman’s claim, police apprehended Jitendra and initiated legal proceedings against him.
Sandila Circle Officer Santosh Kumar Singh confirmed that based on social media evidence and Sheelu’s complaint, Jitendra was taken into custody. Charges of bigamy, dowry harassment, and fraud have been registered against him. Investigations are ongoing to unearth the full extent of his double life and abandonment of his first family. Authorities are examining the circumstances around his long absence and multiple marriages.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
The Logical Indian views this case as a striking example of how social media can uncover hidden realities, yet it also exposes persistent social evils such as dowry abuse, abandonment, and deception. Women like Sheelu endure immense emotional, social, and economic trauma from such incidents, underscoring the critical need for stronger legal safeguards and community support.
This case highlights the importance of empathy, justice, and reform in confronting systemic abuses in matrimonial and familial contexts.
