SAMBALPUR: A four-member team of Sambalpur Police on Sunday left for Madhya Pradesh to trace the two minor girls of Mudipada, who were allegedly sold by their parents. Police took the step a day after a report was published in this connection in The Express.
The elder siblings of the two minor girls Pushpa Saha and her brother Sanatan Naik had alleged in their complaint filed at Sambalpur Town police station that their father Manbhula Naik (45) and mother Prabhasini (40) of Mudipada in the city sold their sisters - Jyoti Naik (13) and Anjali Naik (14) - to an unknown woman for Rs 20,000 in Pathria of Madhya Pradesh on June 1. The complaint has been countersigned by their paternal aunt Hemlata Sani. After the complaint was lodged, police detained Manbhula and Prabhasini for questioning.
Pushpa alleged that Manbhula sold her two minor sisters to meet his alcohol expenses. Sanatan, who had accompanied their parents to Pathria, was beaten up by Manbhula when he opposed the sale. Later, the parents sold the other daughter at a different place. On their return, Sanatan revealed the details to Pushpa.
Meanwhile, it is learnt that Durgeshini Turia of Mudipada in Sambalpur city had allegedly mediated and lured the parents to sell their daughters for Rs 20,000.
While Sanatan claimed that his sisters were handed over to people at different places in Madhya Pradesh, Manbhula said he had married off his daughters. He even claimed that his two daughters were above 20 years and not minor as claimed by Pushpa and Sanatan.
Additional SP, Sambalpur, Sushil Kumar Panigrahi said a case has been registered and the police team has taken Manbhula along with them to identify the girls and the place where they were sold.