Police in Uttar Pradesh's Ambedkarnagar district have busted an interstate gang that lured girls from poor families into fake marriages, then sold them for Rs 2 lakh each to buyers in Rajasthan and Haryana, where they were forced into prostitution. A joint operation by the Kotwali Akbarpur police, the Anti Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU), the SWAT team and the surveillance team led to the arrest of 7 members of the gang, including 2 women. Police also rescued one abducted young woman unharmed from the accused.
A Tip-off Sets the Raid in Motion
Police received intelligence that a group of people was preparing to take a young woman to Rajasthan and Haryana on the pretext of marriage, and that they were waiting for a vehicle near Khiddirpur, close to the Tata Motors showroom on the Baskhari road. Acting swiftly on the tip, the police team cordoned off the spot and raided it without delay. The raid led to the arrest of the entire gang on the spot, and the young woman travelling with them was rescued.
The Seven Arrested
Those arrested include Babulal, son of Chhogaram, a resident of Sumerpur in Pali district, Rajasthan; Mohanlal, son of Surtaji, a resident of Rampura under Sirohi police station, Rajasthan; Narendra Kumar, son of Babulal, also a resident of Sumerpur in Pali district; Beeraram, son of the late Dharmaram, a resident of Kolibada under Sumerpur police station in Pali district; Nasruddin, son of Taufiq, a resident of Makhanha village under Atraulia police station in Azamgarh district; Chandrakala alias Poonam, wife of Beeraram, also a resident of Kolibada in Pali district; and Usha, wife of Vedprakash, a resident of Bhaukuan village under Jalalpur police station in Ambedkarnagar district.
Why the Gang Targeted Poor and Helpless Families
During questioning, the accused admitted that the gang deliberately targeted girls from economically weak, helpless and orphaned families. Local members of the gang would first identify such families, ones whose relatives were too poor or socially powerless to resist or pursue legal action. Once identified, these families were won over with the promise that their daughter would be married into a well-off, respectable household. Trapped by poverty and desperation, the families readily believed the offer.
Gang Members Posed as the Groom and Wedding Guests
Once the family's trust was secured, the gang moved ahead with a carefully planned operation. The young woman's name would be changed and fake identity documents prepared in her new name. A full wedding ceremony would then be staged, complete with gang members posing as the groom, the baraat and relatives, so that no one suspected anything was amiss. Once the wedding rituals were completed, the woman would be taken to Rajasthan and Haryana under the pretext of her vidaai, the traditional bridal farewell.
A Female Accomplice Travelled With Every Victim
Throughout the journey, the accused Chandrakala alias Poonam would stay with the abducted woman. The purpose was simple: if police checked or questioned them along the way, it would appear that a newly married bride was simply travelling to her in-laws' home. Her presence was also meant to reassure the victim that she was not alone, discouraging her from panicking, raising an alarm or attempting to run away during the journey.
Fake Documents Erased Every Trace of the Victim's Real Identity
During any checking or interrogation, the gang consistently presented the same story, that they were escorting a newly married woman home after her wedding. During the journey, the accused would also stay for a day or two in hotels near railway stations or bus stations to assess the situation and be ready to manage any trouble at their own level. Once the women reached Rajasthan and Haryana, they were forced into prostitution against their will, and conditions were deliberately created to make their return nearly impossible. To hide their real identities, the gang prepared fake documents for the victims so that neither their families nor the police could trace them.
Rs 2 Lakh Per Victim, Case Registered
During questioning, the accused also revealed that customers in Rajasthan had paid Rs 2,00,000 for one young woman, of which Rs 1 lakh was paid in cash and Rs 1 lakh through a bank account. Of this amount, Rs 40,000 in cash was recovered from the accused Usha. A case has been registered at Kotwali Akbarpur police station under FIR number 407/2026, under Sections 143(2), 87 and 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 9 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956.
