Bangladeshi Girl ‘Trafficking’ Case In Odisha: No Delay In Investigation, Says Cuttack DCP

Cuttack: Madhupatana Police recently rescued a 16-year-old Bangladeshi girl, a suspected victim of trafficking and found roaming at Link Road in Odisha’s Cuttack city.

According to sources, she came to India about two months back after being lured by a youth, whom she met on Facebook, on the false promise of a job. She, however, was engaged at a massage centre and forced into prostitution after arriving in Bhubaneswar. She later fled the massage centre over non-payment of salary and was found wandering in Cuttack.

After being rescued on November 9, she was handed over to Child Welfare Committee (CWC) and rehabilitated at Basundhara. “She was brought to Kolkata from Dhaka around August-September and then taken to Bhubaneswar. She is a Bangladeshi but has no identity proof or any travel documents. It is yet to be ascertained how she landed in Cuttack,” CWC chairman Pramod Kumar Acharya told the media.

On November 23, the CWC submitted a report to the Cuttack DCP on basis of which Madhupatna Police registered a case under Sections 143(4), 144(1)/3(5) of BNS, Section 6 of the POCSO Act and Section 5 of the ITP Act. “The report revealed that the girl is around 16 years, which is being verified. It is alleged that she came here from Bangladesh on the false promise of employment. She was received by the accused here and later forced into prostitution,” Cuttack DCP Jagmohan Meena told reporters on Sunday.

The DCP said that they have no documentary evidence of the allegations made in the report. “The crime has taken place in two states. In Cuttack, she was only rescued as an destitute. Multiple teams have been formed to probe the matter, which is also suspected to be a case of illegal migration,” he said.

He further said that they would apprise the Bangladesh High Commission about the incident through the government.

The DCP denied any delay in the investigation. “The girl had made no allegation on the night when she was rescued. As per the standard operating procedure, she was handed over to the CWC, where she was counselled. A case was registered immediately after receiving the report,” he added.

Sources said that the victim has named five agents, including two women, involved in the flesh trade. She has also mentioned their addresses and contact numbers in her statement to police.

Police have detained a couple from Shrikarua area in connection with the incident and the mastermind of the racket is said to be based in Kolkata.