Kishanganj: Police have busted an alleged sex trafficking racket in the Khagra area of Kishanganj, rescuing nine girls, including four minors, during a raid conducted under “Operation Savera” on Sunday evening.
Several male customers were also detained during the operation. The alleged operator of the red-light area, Munni Begum, has been arrested. Police said she was running the racket with her associate Sonu. Around 25 packets of condoms were recovered from the spot.
According to officials, the raid was carried out following specific intelligence inputs about illegal activities in the area. The rescued girls have been sent to a safe location for counselling and rehabilitation, and legal proceedings have been initiated.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Ashok Kumar said the operation was conducted on the directions of Superintendent of Police Santosh Kumar. He added that while some girls were apprehended at the spot, others attempted to flee on seeing the police. “Three girls were chased for nearly 500 metres before being caught,” he said.
Police said the rescued victims are from different states. Local residents have alleged that the area has long been associated with such illegal activities, causing concern for families living nearby.
A local resident, Rajeev Ranjan, said repeated police raids in the past had failed to bring a lasting solution. “We face embarrassment living here. Girls from different states are brought in, and it is affecting our children,” he said, urging authorities to take stricter action.
Another resident, Shakeel Akhtar, alleged that minor girls are often trafficked from villages in Assam and West Bengal and forced into the trade. He claimed that newly brought girls are initially confined indoors before being allowed outside after a few days.
Police sources said Munni Begum is believed to be the key figure in the racket, with associates from Samastipur and Muzaffarpur. Her brother, Krishna Khalifa, is currently in jail but is suspected of operating the network from behind bars. The alleged network is said to extend beyond Bihar to West Bengal, Assam, and Jharkhand.
Officials also indicated that the accused and her associates have been previously linked to serious offences, including human trafficking. In one recent case, allegations surfaced that two minor girls were sold for Rs 5 lakh.
Sub-Divisional Police Officer Mangalesh Kumar said illegal activities had been continuing in the red-light area for a long time. “Interrogation of those detained is underway, and we expect to uncover a larger network of agents and traffickers,” he said.
Further investigation is in progress.
