The Kumurambheem Asifabad police on Sunday arrested two more suspects in connection with a human trafficking ring that allegedly involved the sale of around 60 tribal women to agents in Madhya Pradesh.
The arrested accused were identified as Bashar Ramesh Goud (A7), from Dabla village, Mandsaur district, and Soni Jagadesh (A9), from Javari, both in Madhya Pradesh. According to Circle Inspector Ravinder, they played a key role in trafficking women from Asifabad mandal.
The case came to light on Friday when a trafficked woman, sold for Rs1.3 lakh, contacted her family in Vadgondi village. The traffickers had allegedly manipulated her Aadhaar records, changing her marital status to show the buyer as her legal husband. The family grew suspicious after receiving an Aadhaar update by mail and promptly alerted police.
Previously, six individuals — including a police constable — had been arrested in the same case.
Local rights group Adivasi Hakkula Porata Samithi (Thudum Debba) reacted strongly. District president Kotnak Vijay Kumar accused the state of neglecting tribal welfare. “
He further alleged that around 60 tribal women have gone missing and were likely trafficked to other states over the past six months. He demanded the culprits be charged under the PD Act and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Inspector Ravinder confirmed the ongoing investigation, but said there was no confirmed figure yet on the total number of victims.
