Police in Varanasi have arrested four individuals, including a woman from Nepal, in connection with the trafficking of a 15-year-old girl who was forced into prostitution in Bareilly, officials said on Sunday.
The victim, who had left her home on January 5 after an argument with her parents, escaped from a hotel three days ago and reported the matter to the local police. Following her statement, authorities arrested Vinod, Neha Khan, Jasleen Kaur, and Durga Lavati of Nepal’s Panchthar district. One associate, Khalil Khan, remains at large.
According to SSP Anurag Arya, the girl met a woman named Riya at Varanasi junction after leaving home. She was kept for several days before being taken to Bareilly and allegedly sold to Neha Khan. “Khan and her associate Vinod confined the girl and forced her into the sex trade using a fake Aadhaar card showing her as an adult,” Arya said.
SP Manush Pareek added that the victim was moved between hotels where she was beaten and threatened when she resisted. She developed infections and fever but was given only over-the-counter medication while being forced to continue working. Jasleen Kaur and Durga Lavati later joined in monitoring the girl.
An FIR has been registered under various sections of the BNS, POCSO Act, and Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, including:
Selling and buying a child for prostitution
Wrongful confinement
Trafficking and exploitation of trafficked persons
Voluntarily causing hurt
Forgery of records
The girl has been admitted to the district hospital, and the arrested accused have been sent to jail. Investigations are ongoing against hotel operators who allowed entry without proper verification.
