BARIPADA: A 27-year-old man from Madhya Pradesh was arrested for allegedly trafficking two sisters on the pretext of providing them job at the Rourkela Steel Plant.
The accused, Kripal Pal of Sejwara in MP’s Kendua area, had taken the siblings to sell them off for forcible marriage. The two girls, in the age group of 20 to 22 years, were rescued from Rajasthan and MP.
Three others involved in the racket - Bapi Nayak and Debjani Nayak of Kurkutia village in Bisoi, and another person from Rajasthan, are reportedly at large, police said.
Police said Debjani considered the two sisters her nieces. Since the duo was looking for a job to support their father, Debjani and Bapi allegedly offered them work at RSP at a monthly salary of `17,000 each. After taking permission from their father, the sisters left for Rourkela on December 6 last year along with Debjani and Bapi. However, the accused reportedly told the duo that the company required them to take up training at Rajasthan before joining work, which would have commenced on December 12.
Meanwhile on December 13, when the girls’ father tried to contact them, their phones were reportedly switched off. Later the same day, he got a call from the younger daughter asking him to rescue them. Soon after, the call got disconnected.
Suspecting foul play, the father lodged a complaint with Bisoi police. Investigating officer GS Mallik said police teams went to Rajasthan and MP, and after investigation the girls were rescued and one of the accused nabbed. The victims were handed over to their family after counselling, he added.
“During investigation, it came to light that the accused had abducted the girls to forcibly get them married in exchange of money. Efforts are underway to nab the others involved,” Mallik informed.