Puttur : The Sampya police have arrested three persons including Nooruddin Salmara, Secretary of the District Congress Minorities  Committee, Abdul Azeez, a businessman and Altaf of Bettampady on the charges of kidnapping a young girl and trying to convert her at Ankathadka in Palthadi of Puttur taluk.

According to sources, Jayanthi (19), daughter of one Narayan Naik, who belonged to scheduled tribe was reported missing since last Monday after she was maritally engaged nearly a fortnight ago.

It is said Jayanthi had an affair with Abdul Azeez since some time and this was suspected to be the reason behind her missing. It is also learnt that some time back the two families had a quarrel when Azeez was asked to break up with Jayanthi.

The police who had acted on the missing complaint had arrested Azeez and then traced the girl at Ponnani in Kerala. According to reports, Azeez had taken the assistance of Altaf and Nooruddin to marry the girl. The three have been produced before the court and remanded to judicial custody for 15 days.