Daijiworld Media Network - Khunti

Khunti, Oct 19: Jharkhand Police have rescued four minor girls from Delhi and Jaipur who were allegedly targeted by human trafficking gangs, police officials said on Monday.

Three of the girls were rescued from Delhi, while the fourth was traced to Jaipur after she had been missing for nearly 11 years, police said.

The investigators are probing the alleged involvement of human traffickers and placement agencies in the cases.

According to police, the three girls rescued from Delhi had gone missing from their homes around a year ago. Following complaints lodged by their families, police launched a search operation to trace them.

Acting on information gathered during the investigation, a police team tracked down the girls in Delhi and rescued them safely.

In a separate case, police traced a girl in Jaipur who had been away from her family for nearly 11 years and subsequently rescued her.

Police said the girls had allegedly been taken to other states by human traffickers on the pretext of offering them better employment opportunities. They were subsequently made to work as domestic help in different households through placement agencies.

Investigators are examining the circumstances under which the girls were taken away from their homes and are working to identify those involved in the alleged trafficking racket.

Khunti Superintendent of Police Rishabh Garg said the rescues were carried out as part of an ongoing drive against human trafficking.

He said the investigation was continuing and that other accused persons involved in the cases would be identified and appropriate action taken against them.

Police said arrangements were being made to bring all four girls safely back to Khunti. They will undergo counselling before the process of reuniting them with their families begins with the assistance of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC).

Police are also investigating the wider human trafficking network and the alleged role of placement agencies in the racket.