Abduction attempt foiled on Padma Shri recipient Phoolbasan Bai Yadav in Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh

On Tuesday morning, around 10:30 am, Khushbu Sahu allegedly lured Yadav by claiming a differently-abled woman in a car wished to take a selfie. Yadav walked out, got into the car, and the vehicle sped away with her hands bound and gagged. A traffic police team conducting routine checks halted the car near Chikhli police outpost on the Rajnandgaon-Khairagarh road. The accused claimed the bound woman was an epilepsy patient, but one officer recognised Yadav and rescued her. The trio — Sahu, another woman, and the male driver — were taken to Sukuldaihan police outpost and are being questioned. Preliminary investigation suggests Sahu, associated with a self-help group and in contact with Yadav for four months, may have used SHGs in the Bemetara region to mobilise for employment training and illicit money collection. Further investigation will clarify the motive.

Phoolbasan Bai Yadav received the Padma Shri in 2012 for her work in the self-help group movement.

Phoolbasan Bai Yadav began forming self-help groups in 2001, encouraging women to save small amounts of money as per their capability. Over time, her network grew to include nearly two lakh women engaged in social service, empowerment, water and environmental conservation, and organic farming.