Couple arrested in Odisha’s cuttack for allegedly trafficking Bangladeshi minor girl

Cuttack, Nov 25: The Madhupatna police have arrested a couple for allegedly trafficking minor girl from Bangladesh for the purpose of prostitution. The accused have been identified as Bheera Gujjar Chowdhury (55) and Jasmine (36), a couple from Rajasthan, living in the Gopalpur area.

Both were produced in court on Sunday.

According to police reports, the couple brought the minor girl from Bangladesh through another trafficker a few days ago. The medical examination of the minor girl is scheduled for Monday, as confirmed by the police.

Based on the victim's statement, it was revealed that before Dussehra, she was illegally smuggled from Bangladesh to Kolkata by a group of traffickers. Subsequently, some youths transported her to Bhubaneswar by bus.

The girl spent over 15 days in Bhubaneswar before being taken to Baripada. After that, she returned to Bhubaneswar, where she was forced into prostitution under the guise of being housed in a massage center. On November 7, she was sold to Bheera and Jasmine, who were residing in Gopalpur.

During her stay with the couple, the victim was subjected to various forms of exploitation, including forced domestic work and abuse. In a bid to escape her situation, the minor managed to flee one night. While crossing a wooden bridge near Madhupatna police station, she was rescued by a police team. The victim shared her ordeal during counseling sessions, leading to further investigations.

After receiving her testimony, the police informed the Cuttack Deputy Commissioner of Police via a letter. Consequently, a case was registered at Madhupatna police station. The victim expressed her desire to return to Kolkata on the same night, and her statements led to the arrest of the accused, Bheera and Jasmine.

The police said that while the process to repatriate the victim has begun, it is complicated due to the lack of a passport or visa. The girl entered India illegally, posing legal challenges to her repatriation.

Further investigation is underway.