Purnia: A late-evening police raid in Purnia’s Harda Bazar red light area on August 8 has rescued three teenage girls and exposed a trafficking network allegedly run by women targeting vulnerable minors at railway stations across Bihar.
According to Purnia SP Sweety Sehrawat, the operation was carried out on a tip-off from Kamal Chhetri of Darjeeling, West Bengal, in coordination with local NGO Sabera.
“A special team was formed under my leadership. During the raid, we rescued three teenage girls and arrested 14 people, including five women accused of luring and forcing minors into prostitution,” SP Sehrawat told reporters.
A Trap Set at Railway Stations
Police say the gang was led by two women—Varsha Khatoon and Samina Khatoon—who frequented railway stations to identify girls who appeared distressed or alone. Posing as sympathetic well-wishers, they allegedly promised jobs, shelter, and a better life before taking the victims to Purnia and confining them in brothels.
One 15-year-old from Muzaffarpur told police she had fled home after a domestic dispute. “A woman named Samina Khatoon approached me at the station, spoke kindly, and convinced me to come with her. I believed her words… but within hours, I was locked in a room in Harda and a man paid money to force himself on me,” she said.
Another survivor, 16, from Patna, recounted enduring over a year and a half in captivity after being lured with a promise of work at a tailoring shop. “On the first night, four men raped me. I kept hoping for a way out. Finally, a customer helped me connect to someone outside who contacted the police,” she said.
In a chilling twist, one of the rescued minors from Purnia alleged that her own father, Shambhu Alam, was complicit in forcing her into prostitution. Alam is among those arrested.
Shock Findings Inside the Brothels
During the raid, police seized condoms, six mobile phones, and ₹6,200 in cash. The houses where the illegal activity was taking place have been sealed.
SP Sehrawat said the arrested women include Varsha Khatoon, Samina Khatoon, Munni Khatoon, Neha Khatoon, and one other. The nine male accused are from Purnia, Madhepura, and Katihar districts.
Rescue and Recovery
The rescued girls are currently under the care of the Child Welfare Committee and will be provided counseling and rehabilitation support through government and NGO channels.
Police have booked the accused under sections related to trafficking, wrongful confinement, and sexual exploitation. Interrogation is ongoing to identify other possible victims.
