13 girls shifted to Meerut from GB Road brothel, rescued

NEW DELHI: Days after the arrest of a couple for allegedly forcing girls into prostitution at Delhi’s GB road, the traffickers seem to have shifted the girls to

NEW DELHI: Days after the arrest of a couple for allegedly forcing girls into prostitution at Delhi’s GB road, the traffickers seem to have shifted the girls to nearby cities. The Anti Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) of the Uttar Pradesh police has rescued 13 girls from Meerut. Most of them were staying at GB road till a few days back.

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According to the NGOs, a central agency should probe the link as girls are usually shifted to NCR towns whenever there is raid at GB road. “We have noticed this trend in the last few months. Girls are often shifted to Agra. This way, the victim remains trapped and traffickers avoid arrest,” said Rishi Kant, an activist with NGO Shakti Vahini.

Last week, the Uttar Pradesh Police had arrested nine persons and rescued 13 girls during a raid at a brothel in Kabari Bazaar, Meerut. Of the arrested, seven were customers while two were brothel managers. The raid was conducted after the AHTU received information that some minor Nepali girls were held captive at a brothel in Kabari Bazar.

The victims are residents of Rajasthan, Bangalore, Kolkata and Nepal.

“I was lured on the pretext of marriage around a year ago. The boy married me at a church and after a year, sold me off to a brothel on GB Road. I was transferred to Kabari Bazar after ten days. I was forced to serve 10-15 customers throughout the day. The brothel owner would take all the money,” said one of the girls.

The victim also said that they were threatened not to reveal anything to the police. The AHTU has registered an FIR under section 3/4/5/6/7/8 of Immoral Trafficking and Prevention Act 1956 and Section 372/373 of the Indian Penal Code.