In a unique incident, one of the customers at a brothel in Bihar’s Sitamarhi district reached out to Bachpan Bachao Andolan’s (BBA) helpline number to share information about the sexual exploitation of a minor. A 15-year-old girl was being forced into commercial sexual exploitation in a red light area by her abusive employers.
Upon learning the girl is a minor, the customer reached out to BBA seeking their assistance in saving the girl from ruthless exploitation.
Launching prompt action in the matter, BBA collaborated with the local Police and the District Administration to plan and execute a raid and rescue operation in the area. Our team successfully rescued the minor girl. The rescue operation also resulted in the arrest of two traffickers and one customer.
The girl revealed she left her family home in Bihar’s Katihar district after having an argument with her mother. On seeing her alone and vulnerable at the Katihar Junction railway station, a man lured her on the pretext of giving her shelter for a few days. The innocent child had no idea of what awaited her.
The man took her to a rented room and brutally raped her for two weeks. When the girl became increasingly resistant to his horrendous act, he promised her to take her back home. However, he ended up taking her to Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district in an unconscious state. The girl was then purchased by a trafficker and brought to Sitamarhi for commercial sexual exploitation. The trafficker and his wife used to mercilessly thrash the minor when she refused to tend to customers. The helpless child was dehumanised by forcing her to attend to 30-35 customers a day.
To ensure strict and prompt action is taken in this grave matter, BBA facilitated the registration of an FIR under the Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act (ITPA), and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.
The girl has been sent for medical examination and will be provided with all possible support by BBA to facilitate her rehabilitation.
