Jaipur, July 14 (IANS) A minor girl from Dinhata in Cooch Behar district of West Bengal, near the India-Bangladesh border, who was allegedly trafficked to Rajasthan on the false promise of employment, has been rescued from a spa centre in Jaipur.

The interstate rescue operation was jointly carried out by the West Bengal and Rajasthan Police with the support of the Association for Voluntary Action (AVA) and Kosi Lok Manch, officials said on Tuesday.

The Police have launched an investigation to dismantle the interstate trafficking network and arrest those involved.

Both AVA and Kosi Lok Manch are partner organisations of Just Rights for Children, India’s largest child rights network comprising more than 250 NGOs working to protect children from trafficking, exploitation and abuse.

The girl’s parents had lodged a missing person complaint on June 18.

During the investigation, police tracked her mobile phone, which indicated that she was in Jaipur.

The West Bengal Police sought assistance from Kosi Lok Manch, which immediately coordinated with AVA in Rajasthan to facilitate the rescue.

On Sunday, a team of West Bengal Police, accompanied by the girl’s mother, reached Jaipur and, with the support of AVA, launched an extensive search operation.

The rescue proved challenging as the victim’s location kept changing.

Acting on technical surveillance, the team first reached the Sanganer area before tracing the girl’s final location to the Jalupura police station area, where she was rescued from a spa centre during a raid on Monday morning.

The accused managed to flee, and efforts are underway to apprehend them.

According to the police, the girl, who had studied up to Class 9, told investigators that a young man known to her in Dinhata lured her to Jaipur with the promise of a well-paying job.

After her arrival, she was allegedly handed over to a man identified as Karan, who is reported to have previously faced allegations related to commercial sexual exploitation.

Under the guise of providing employment, he allegedly forced the minor to work at the spa centre.

The girl’s mother has alleged that her daughter was sexually exploited. She had earlier worked as a domestic worker in Jaipur, while the girl’s father is a farmer in Dinhata.

The rescued minor is expected to return to West Bengal on Wednesday.

Welcoming the successful rescue, Ravi Kant, National Convenor of Just Rights for Children, said, “This case once again demonstrates that trafficking is an organised interstate crime that requires an equally organised interstate response. The coordinated efforts of the West Bengal and Rajasthan Police, supported by our partner organisations, made this rescue possible. Such collaboration is vital not only to rescue children but also to dismantle trafficking networks and ensure justice for every victim. We must ensure that every person involved in trafficking is identified, prosecuted and held accountable. Prevention, timely intervention and strict enforcement must go hand in hand.”

–IANS

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