In a shocking case from Sarkhej in Ahmedabad, a 14-year-old girl was kidnapped by her neighbours, a couple, and taken to Rajasthan. They pretended it was for her marriage, but actually sold her for ₹5 lakh to a man there. The Sarkhej police have rescued the girl safely and arrested three people, including two women.
The incident came to light after the minor went missing from her home on April 29. When their daughter could not be traced despite all efforts, the foster parents approached the Sarkhej Police and filed a complaint. They had also noticed that their neighbours — Bharatji alias Govindji Thakor and his wife Bharti Thakor — had suddenly gone missing around the same time.
Upon investigation, it was revealed that the couple had kidnapped the girl and trafficked her to Rajasthan, where she was forcibly married to a man named Veersinh Rathod. Acting swiftly, police traced the girl near Banaskantha and rescued her. Along with the couple, a third accused, Tina Thakor, has also been arrested for her role in the crime.
Speaking to the media, ACP AB Valand of M Division said that this appeared to be part of a wider human trafficking racket in which minor girls were kidnapped and sold under the guise of marriage.
More accused involved
Further investigation showed that the arrested couple is from Mehsana, and the third person, Tina Thakor, is from Bhabhar in Banaskantha district. Police have also identified four more people who are missing — Vanraj Rathod, Meghraj Rathod, Hina Rathod (all from Banaskantha), and Veersinh Rathod from Rajasthan. All of them are believed to be part of the same human trafficking group.
According to police sources, the 14-year-old girl was sold to Veersinh Rathod for ₹5 lakh. She was sent to him for one night under the false promise of marriage and then brought back, indicating that the accused may have also tricked the buyer. Police believe that middlemen are involved in this trafficking network, and further investigation is ongoing to find out more.