Crime Patrol | Gang sold women from Mumbai to bride-starved village in Gujarat (Episode 523, 524 on 26, 27 June 2015)

Part 1

Part 2

The Inside Story

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Mumbai, Maharashtra

Police Arrest Seven in Human Trafficking Case

12 May,2015
In just a month, city police have arrested all seven people involved in a human trafficking ring in Maharashtra and Gujarat. They were selling women and young girls from the city to a village near Ahmedabad, where only 10% of the population is female. Last month, a 22-year-old woman who survived rape escaped from Gujarat to Mumbai. She revealed that women and girls were being trafficked to this village to be sold as brides due to a shortage of women there. The police learned that the girls were kept unaware until the wedding day when they were married off to much older men in Bakrana village.

Quick Police Action After the young woman reported her case on April 17, the Pydhonie police quickly raided the village and rescued two minor girls who were also at risk. Within a month, they arrested all the suspects involved in the trafficking. The 22-year-old victim explained that she had been tricked into going to Bakrana, where she was sold for Rs 1 lakh and forced to marry a 45-year-old man who raped and confined her. She provided the police with details that led to the rescue of the other girls. How the Racket Operated The trafficking ring was run by seven people who lured girls and women with promises of jobs or marriage. They targeted poor families, offering food and clothes to gain their trust. Once the families agreed, the traffickers would pay them Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000. After this, they contacted two men who ran marriage bureaus in Ahmedabad and Surat. These men then found buyers willing to pay for the brides, with prices ranging from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh.

Arrests and Rescues The first suspect arrested was Meera Salve, who initially tried to escape but was caught by the police. With information from the 22-year-old victim, they also arrested an agent named Ganpat, who helped them raid Bakrana and rescue the two minor girls. The police faced challenges during the rescue, as local residents initially refused to help. They eventually called for more officers to assist with the operation. The police are now searching for six other girls believed to be missing. Charges Against the Accused Investigators found that the gang had been operating for three years and had sold more than six girls from Mumbai. The police have charged the suspects with rape, kidnapping, wrongful confinement, and criminal intimidation.

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