Interstate child trafficking gang busted in UP’s Ballia, 4 arrested

Two missing girls have also been rescued from the gang, they said. According to the police, two teenage girls had gone missing from the Maniyar police station area within a month

Ballia: Police have busted an interstate gang involved in child trafficking with the arrest of four men, officials said on Sunday. Two missing girls have also been rescued from the gang, they said. According to the police, two teenage girls had gone missing from the Maniyar police station area within a month.

On December 24, 17-year-old Kalyatri Prajapati went to appear for a practical exam at Maniyar Inter College but did not return. Following a complaint from her mother, a case was registered on December 29 against unidentified persons. Similarly, on January 13, Anjali Rajbhar (16), a Class 10 student, went to the same school and disappeared. Based on her mother’s complaint, a case was registered on January 22.

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Superintendent of Police (SP) Omvir Singh said that during the investigation, police gathered crucial evidence and conducted raids, leading to the arrest of Ashok Kumar Kumawat (25) and Kishan Bhati from Pali district in Rajasthan, along with Mohan Yadav (24) from Gaura Bagahi (Gangapur) village in Maniyar, and a 17-year-old boy on Saturday. The police rescued both the missing girls, he said.

During interrogation, the accused revealed details about their interstate trafficking network, which allegedly targets girls estranged from their families and sells them in other States for marriage and domestic work. The police also recovered Rs 35,000 from their possession. SP Singh stated that further investigations are underway to uncover the full extent of the racket.