Lucknow, The Lucknow Police have made three arrests after busting an inter-state gang allegedly involved in luring minor girls under the pretence of offering help, only to “sell” them for marriage in Rajasthan, officials said.
The police also held a juvenile in connection with the case.
The accused allegedly targeted vulnerable girls, including those without parents or from financially disadvantaged families. They sent the girls’ photographs to associates in Rajasthan, where marriages were arranged in exchange for money, police said.
DCP Amit Kumar Anand on Thursday said the arrests were made by the Mohanlalganj Police after investigating the disappearance of two minor girls, aged 16 and 12, from Ganihar village on May 12.
The girls’ grandmother had lodged a complaint, claiming that they were taken away by a juvenile relative and his associate, Priya Patel, a resident of Raebareli, under the pretext of visiting their mother.
Following the complaint, police registered an FIR under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and formed four teams, including one in plain clothes, to locate the girls, the DCP said.
Police reviewed around 150 CCTV recordings and implemented both technical and manual surveillance, even while the victims’ mobile phones were switched off, he added.
The two girls were safely recovered on May 18.
During the investigation and after recording their statements, police discovered that the minors had been taken to Kota district in Rajasthan with the intention of selling them for marriage.
The accused identified as Anurag Yadav , Mohammad Akhtar , Priya Patel alias Sheila were arrested near Atroli crossing on June 3. The juvenile was also held.
According to the police, Priya Patel told investigators that she met a woman named Sonam, a resident of Kota, during a wedding in Raebareli in 2020. Sonam allegedly told her that good-looking girls, even from impoverished backgrounds, could be married off in Rajasthan for money, and that she would be compensated for arranging such marriages.
Police said that Priya had been living with her associate Anurag in a rented accommodation in Raebareli for about two years. Together with Mohammad Akhtar, they allegedly sought out girls who were financially vulnerable or lacked parental support, assuming their families would not pursue any complaints.
The gang members allegedly befriended these girls, luring them with outings and new clothes before taking them away.
Initially, the girls were brought to Raebareli, where they were provided with new clothes, and their photographs were sent via WhatsApp to Sonam and her husband, Bhupendra Chaudhary, in Kota, police said.
Once the photographs were shared, the accused allegedly negotiated payment with the Rajasthan-based couple. Priya mentioned to the police that she received between ₹1 lakh and ₹1.5 lakh for arranging each girl’s marriage.
Police said the accused had earlier allegedly sent two sisters from Raebareli to Sonam and Bhupendra for marriage.
In the present case, the minors were allegedly taken with the help of the juvenile related to the victims. Priya had convinced the girls that she would take them to meet their mother, who had been away for several years.
The accused allegedly took the girls to Raebareli and later planned to send them to Kota after receiving instructions from their associates.
Additionally, police recovered two four-wheelers that were allegedly used in the crime.
Investigations into the involvement of other individuals, including the Rajasthan-based associates, are ongoing, officials said.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
