Left at Attari, denied return: Pak woman seeks PM Modi’s help against husband’s ‘second marriage’ plan

The woman, Nikita Nagdev, has released an emotional video appeal urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene in her case.

Nikita, a Karachi resident, said she married Vikram Nagdev, a Pakistani-origin man living in Indore on a long-term visa, on January 26, 2020, in Karachi under Hindu customs.

She travelled to India with him on February 26, but alleges that the marriage collapsed within months amid betrayal and coercion.

According to Nikita, Vikram abandoned her at the Attari border on July 9, 2020, under the pretext of a “visa technicality,” after which she was forcibly sent back to Pakistan.

“Since then, he has never tried to bring me back,” she said in her video message. “I kept requesting him to call me to India, but he refused every time.”

In the video, recorded in Karachi, Nikita pleaded for justice: “If justice is not served today, women will lose faith in the system. Many girls face abuse in their marital homes. I request everyone to stand with me.”

Nikita also alleged that her husband’s behaviour changed drastically after their wedding. She claimed she learned he was having an affair with one of her relatives. When she confronted her in-laws, her father-in-law allegedly dismissed her concerns, saying, “Boys have affairs, nothing can be done.”

She further alleged that during the COVID-19 lockdown, Vikram pressured her to return to Pakistan and has since refused her re-entry into India. “Every woman deserves justice in India,” she said.

Once back in Karachi, Nikita says she discovered that Vikram had begun preparations to marry another woman in Delhi, despite being legally married to her. Alarmed, she submitted a written complaint on January 27, 2025.

The matter was taken up by the Sindhi Panch Mediation and Legal Counsel Centre, authorised by the Madhya Pradesh High Court. Notices were issued to Vikram and his alleged fiancée, and a hearing was conducted. However, mediation efforts failed.

In its April 30, 2025 report, the Centre stated that since neither spouse is an Indian citizen, the dispute falls under Pakistan’s jurisdiction and recommended Vikram’s deportation to Pakistan.

This is not the first time Nikita’s case has surfaced in Indore. In May 2025, she approached the Indore Social Panchayat, which also advised deportation.

Indore Collector Ashish Singh confirmed that an inquiry was ordered and assured that appropriate action would be taken based on the findings.

Nikita’s appeal has sparked debate on cross-border marriages, visa vulnerability, and legal protections for women separated from their spouses across international boundaries.

Social groups in both countries have urged authorities to intervene to ensure that the case does not fall through jurisdictional cracks.

As the legal and administrative process continues, Nikita says she only wants fairness and closure. “I just want justice,” she said in her video, calling on Prime Minister Modi and legal authorities in India and Pakistan to act swiftly.