Police in Uttar Pradesh’s Aligarh have busted an alleged human trafficking racket accused of targeting minor girls from poor and tribal families in Chhattisgarh and other states. According to police, the gang allegedly lured families with promises of education, vocational training and financial support before bringing the girls to Aligarh by train. The girls were allegedly sold to buyers for amounts ranging from ₹50,000 to ₹1 lakh and were then sent to them in the name of marriage.
Police have identified 45-year-old Babita alias Chachi as the alleged kingpin of the racket. Four other accused—Sukh Ram alias Sukha alias Mahavir Fauzdar, Vinod, Om Pal Singh and Bablu—have also been arrested. Cases have been registered against the accused under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act. All five were produced before a court and sent to judicial custody.
16-Year-Old Girl’s Phone Call Exposed the Racket
The case came to light after a 16-year-old girl living in Aligarh managed to contact police using her mobile phone. She allegedly told police that she had been brought to Aligarh on the pretext of marriage, sold to someone and kept against her will. Acting on the information, police began tracing the people connected with her and gradually uncovered the alleged trafficking network.
During the investigation, police learned that the gang allegedly targeted financially vulnerable families in tribal and poor areas of Chhattisgarh. Babita allegedly approached families and gained their confidence by promising that their daughters would be educated, taught tailoring and embroidery and that money would be sent to their families every month.
Girls Allegedly Brought to Aligarh by Train
According to police, once the families were persuaded, the girls were brought from Chhattisgarh to Aligarh by train. They were allegedly handed over to a network operated by Sukh Ram alias Sukha in the Gonda area. Investigators also found that Sukh Ram had allegedly been living in Aligarh under a different identity.
The gang allegedly searched for buyers after bringing the girls to the city. Photographs and details of the girls were reportedly shared with potential buyers, following which a price was negotiated. The girls were then allegedly handed over after payment.
Deals Allegedly Fixed Between ₹50,000 and ₹1 Lakh
Police said the alleged price of the girls ranged from ₹50,000 to ₹1 lakh. Some buyers allegedly purchased them with the intention of keeping them as wives. In one case, Sukh Ram is accused of selling a girl at Raipur railway station for ₹70,000 to Vinod, a resident of Gonda in the Tappal area.
In another case, Om Pal Singh allegedly purchased a girl from Babita for ₹50,000 around five months ago. Police also allege that Bablu purchased another girl for ₹80,000. After keeping her for four to five days, he allegedly returned her, claiming that he did not like her. Babita then allegedly sent him a photograph of another girl.
Girl Rescued Before Another Deal
Police said the second girl was rescued from Babita before the proposed transaction could take place. The rescued girls have been shifted to a One Stop Centre, where they are undergoing medical examinations and counselling. Their statements will be recorded before a magistrate before further steps are taken regarding their rehabilitation and return to their families.
Investigators are also examining the alleged methods used by the gang to conceal its activities. According to police, members allegedly communicated over the phone and subsequently deleted chats and other records to prevent investigators from obtaining evidence.
Police are now examining the accused persons’ mobile phones, contacts and other available evidence to identify additional members of the network. Investigators are also trying to determine how many girls may have been trafficked through the alleged racket and whether more buyers, intermediaries or other associates were involved.
