E-Paper
A dangerous trap in the garb of job opportunity
What looked like a promising job opportunity ended up being a nightmare for a 14-year-old girl from Kolkata.
What looked like a promising job opportunity ended up being a nightmare for a 14-year-old girl from Kolkata.
Her ordeal began in February, 2014 and continued for the next 75 days when she was tossed from one man, and once a group of men, to another who stripped her off her innocence and left a deep scar in her heart and mind. The girl is now safe with her family back home.
Naresh Paras, a social activist in Agra, narrates her story, “This girl was offered a job by a woman living in her neighbourhood. From here, problems began for her. She was sold to someone in Delhi and resold to another in Meerut.”
After a short stay in Meerut, she was once again sold back in Delhi. But, this was not the worst part.
“The real tragedy awaited her in Agra where she was handed over to a group of five boys,” says Paras.
“She was kept in a room and asked to have a bath and makeup in the night. Soon after, she was gangraped by the five buyers in the rural belt of Agra,” he adds.
In the morning, she was asked to take an autorickshaw and reach the inter state bus stand where she was to be handed over to a woman.
“Amidst all the unfortunate happenings, the girl had her share of luck as the autorickshaw was caught in a jam at Khandari crossing. Grabbing the chance, she hopped off the vehicle and made a dash towards Bhagwan Talkies crossing from where she was sent to the New Agra police station,” Paras tells HT.
“Police sent her to a shelter home run by an NGO. Here, we contacted her and got her medical examination conducted,” he adds. As the volunteers gained her confidence, the teenager revealed her address in Kolkata.
“The police there was cooperative. However, the family was so poor that they were unable to travel down to Agra to take her. Kolkata police contacted some voluntary organisation there and financed the journey expense for the mother, father and brother of the girl,” said Paras.
Application for custody was moved in court and following its order, the girl was reunited with her parents in March, 2015.
