Crime Branch busts human trafficking racket, 4 rescued

Delhi Crime Branch busted an inter-state human trafficking gang after conducting several raids in Delhi and Haryana. The police on Tuesday said five persons, who were allegedly linked with an inter-state human trafficking racket, have been arrested. 

Police also rescued four women, including two minors, who were allegedly brought to Delhi from West Bengal and later sold off at Haryana villages for anything between Rs 50,000 and Rs 1 lakh.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) R S Yadav said that the five accused arrested so far in connection with the alleged racket have been identified as Syed Ali, alias, Raju, Ram Bhavan, Rita, Ashok and Pramod. Raju (29) is the alleged kingpin of the racket. “Raju, who is a native of West Bengal’s Uttar Dinajpur district, who shifted to Delhi around 12 years ago, allegedly brought women from his associate Suraj and sister Wasabi Barman, who operated from their native village. In Delhi, Raju dealt with one Meena, who is suspected to be associated with several human trafficking rackets,” said Yadav.

<g data-gr-id="32">Investigation</g> has revealed that these women were purchased mostly by unmarried men aged above 50 years and made to work as labourers in their farmlands. “The women were from extremely poor families and the racket had found a blooming market in Haryana because of the skewed sex ratio in the state. They were also sexually assaulted in Haryana,” a senior officer said.

Yadav further stated that accused Ram Bhavan allegedly provided his residence to the alleged traffickers for the women to be kept there until they were sold off. His wife, Lakshmi, is also a co-accused in the case. Police teams are now looking for Suraj, <g data-gr-id="25">Wassabi</g>, Meena and Lakshmi. 

“The alleged racket also used to take help of lawyers and clerks at notary offices to create documents for <g data-gr-id="34">solemnise</g> marriage between the trafficked women and the persons to whom they were sold off,” Yadav added.

The incident came to light on August 5 when a 24-year-old woman, who was a victim of this gang, escaped from her procurer’s confinement in Haryana and approached an NGO in Delhi. The matter was reported at the Chanakya Puri police station and later handed over to the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit of the Crime Branch.