Gajapati Police Bust Human Trafficking Racket; Seven Tribal Girls Rescued from Hyderabad, Two Arrested
Bhagabat Padhi, Odishabarta
Paralakhemundi, July 3: In a disturbing case of human trafficking, Gajapati Police have rescued seven tribal girls from Hyderabad after they were allegedly lured with false promises of employment and sold for Rs 70,000 each.
Two accused have been arrested in connection with the case, including a Hyderabad-based woman and a middleman from Odisha.
Addressing the media, R. Udayagiri SDPO Rakesh Sahu said the victims, all residents of Gajapati district, were confined in a house in Hyderabad and subjected to physical and mental abuse. Acting swiftly, a special police team from Gajapati, with the assistance of Hyderabad Police, conducted a raid and successfully rescued all seven girls, including one minor.
The case came to light after Rimpi Mondal of Dalimbapur village lodged a missing complaint on June 21 regarding her sister. A few days later, the victim managed to contact her family and revealed that she and another girl had been taken to Hyderabad by Ishwar Kusilia, who had promised them employment.
Based on the information received, the Gajapati Police launched an investigation and raided the residence of Sarita Jain in Hyderabad, where all seven victims were found and rescued.
According to the police, the girls had been sold to the Hyderabad-based woman for Rs 70,000 each and were kept in illegal confinement. They were allegedly forced to engage in unlawful activities and were subjected to continuous physical and mental harassment.
Police have arrested the prime accused, Ishwar Kusilia, along with Sarita Jain of Hyderabad. Both have been produced before the court.
Officials said the investigation is continuing to uncover the larger human trafficking network and identify other persons involved in the racket. The police have not ruled out the possibility of additional arrests as the probe progresses.
