Patna: A dangerous and deeply disturbing network of human traffickers is operating around Bihar’s major railway stations, especially in Patna, where vulnerable women and girls are being targeted and trapped. These traffickers often keep an eye on women who leave home after family disputes, emotional stress or financial troubles. Pretending to offer help, shelter or jobs, they gain the trust of victims and then sell them into forced marriage, prostitution or illegal labour in other states.
A recent case under Punpun police station has once again exposed this cruel reality. Around two and a half months ago, a young married woman left her in-laws’ home after a minor argument and planned to go to her parents’ house. But near Patna Junction, she was allegedly approached by another woman who promised to help her find a job and start a better life. Instead, she was taken to West Bengal and trapped in the hands of traffickers. Her family believed she had safely reached her maternal home and did not suspect anything at first. When they later discovered she had never arrived, they began searching for her and finally filed a missing complaint on 28 March.
After the complaint was registered, Punpun police immediately began an investigation. Through technical surveillance and mobile phone tracking, officers traced a suspicious number linked to the victim’s location in Panjipara, West Bengal. A special police team was sent there and, with the help of West Bengal Police, successfully rescued the woman and brought her back to Patna safely. During questioning, the victim revealed that an unknown woman near Patna Junction had lured her away with false promises of work. Police are now examining CCTV footage and conducting further technical investigations to identify and arrest the accused.
The case took a dramatic turn when the woman managed to borrow someone else’s mobile phone and call her family. She told them she was trapped in a dangerous place and needed immediate help. That phone call changed the direction of the investigation and confirmed the police’s fears that this was a case of human trafficking. Acting quickly, the police tracked the phone’s location and launched a raid to rescue her.
This is not the first such incident in Bihar. In 2015, a teenage girl who had gone to Danapur market suddenly disappeared. Later, police found that she had been moved from Ara to Rohtas and then forcibly married off. She was eventually traced to Rajasthan, where she had been sold in the name of marriage. A police team rescued her and arrested five people connected to the trafficking ring.
In another shocking case from January this year, a 23-year-old woman from Maner left home after a family dispute and reached Patna Junction with thoughts of ending her life. There, a man allegedly trapped her by promising her a job and a better future. Instead, he sold her into the sex trade in Kolkata. Days later, she managed to call her family using another person’s phone. Police then worked with West Bengal Police to rescue her from Islampur and arrest one accused person.
Another horrifying case came to light in 2023 when a teenage girl from Patliputra went missing after being scolded by her mother. She reached Patna Junction, where a woman from a trafficking gang lured her with promises of work in Delhi. She was then sold to a broker and later taken to Jaipur in Rajasthan, where she was sold for Rs 300,000. Police said the transaction was even written on stamp paper, and her Aadhaar details were changed to show her as an adult. With help from Delhi Crime Branch and Rajasthan Police, Patna Police rescued the girl and arrested several gang members.
These repeated incidents have raised serious concerns over the safety of women and girls at Bihar’s railway stations. Police have appealed to families to report missing persons without delay and warned people, especially women travelling alone, not to trust strangers offering jobs or assistance. The growing number of such cases shows that human trafficking gangs are working openly and taking advantage of emotional and financial vulnerability. Authorities say stronger surveillance and public awareness are needed to stop these crimes and protect innocent lives.
