Attempt to abduct Padma Shri awardee Phoolbasan Bai Yadav foiled in Chhattisgarh

An alleged attempt to abduct Padma Shri awardee social worker Phoolbasan Bai Yadav was foiled in Chhattisgarh’s Rajnandgaon district on Tuesday after a routine police check led to her rescue and the detention of three suspects, including two women. The incident occurred in the morning and has triggered a detailed police investigation into the motive behind the crime.

According to initial findings, one of the accused, identified as Khushbu Sahu from Bemetara, approached Yadav at her residence in Sukuldaihan village around 10.30 am. She allegedly told the social worker that a differently-abled woman waiting in a car outside wanted to take a selfie with her. When Yadav stepped out and got into the vehicle, it immediately sped away.

Investigators said that shortly after, the accused tied Yadav’s hands and gagged her with a cloth. However, near the Chikhli police outpost on the Rajnandgaon–Khairagarh road, the vehicle was stopped during a routine traffic check. When questioned, the occupants reportedly claimed that the woman was an epilepsy patient, but one of the police personnel recognised Yadav, leading to her immediate rescue.

The three accused, including Sahu, another woman, and the driver, were taken into custody and are being questioned. Preliminary investigation suggests that the main आरोपी had been in contact with Yadav for nearly four months and was associated with a self-help group. Police suspect that certain groups in the Bemetara region may have been mobilising people in the name of employment training while allegedly collecting money illegally.

Phoolbasan Bai Yadav, who was awarded the Padma Shri in 2012, is known for her work in promoting self-help groups since 2001, empowering nearly two lakh women through savings, social initiatives, and community development activities. Police said the exact motive behind the attempted abduction will become clear after further investigation.