BALLIA: Uttar Pradesh police have arrested four men of an interstate gang involved in child trafficking, officials said on Sunday. Two missing girls from the Maniyar police station limits have been rescued from their custody.
According to Ballia SP Omvir Singh, on December 24, 17-year-old Kalyatri Prajapati went to appear for a practical exam at Maniyar Inter College but did not return.
Based on 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 missing after she went to the same school. A case regarding this was registered on January 22.
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.
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.