16-year-old Hry girl sold on pretext of marriage, sexually exploited

A 16-year-old girl was allegedly sexually exploited after being kidnapped and "sold" for Rs 70,000 to a youth on the pretext of marriage, police said here on Thursday.

Superintendent of Police Surinder Bhoria said the girl, a resident of Gharaunda in Karnal, was rescued from Sonipat and five people, including the youth and two middlemen, were arrested.

SHO of Gharaunda police station Sachin Kumar said the girl had gone missing on August 4 and her family lodged a police complaint in this regard.

It has been alleged that the girl was kidnapped and "sold" to 25-year-old Deepak from Rohtak district for Rs 70,000 through some middlemen and was taken to Sonipat where she was sexually exploited, Kumar said.

The girl's location was traced by tracking her mobile phone and rescued a week ago from a rented accommodation where she was found with Deepak, the police official said.

Deepak, his relative, and one another accomplice were arrested from Sonipat, he said, adding they had made part of the payment in cash and the rest was transferred into bank accounts of the two middlemen, who belonged to the girl's village.

The two middlemen have also been arrested, Kumar said, adding a case under relevant sections of the IPC and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act has been registered against all the accused.