21 children rescued from orchestra units

Patna: Continuing its crackdown on orchestra groups exploiting minor girls, police rescued 21 children, including seven Nepalese girls, and arrested 11 accused in a nightlong operation in Saran district late on Wednesday.

The children, aged 15 to 17, had been trafficked from Nepal, Assam, West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh, police said. During preliminary counselling, several said they had been lured with promises of jobs, glamour and high pay, but were instead forced to dance for hours to sexually explicit Bhojpuri songs at weddings and other events. Many also faced sexual harassment and abuse from audiences.

The operation followed information gathered by the Association for Voluntary Action (AVA) during a monthlong investigation. Working with Saran Police, the anti-human trafficking unit, local police teams and Narayani Sewa Sansthan, officers raided 13 orchestra groups.

Saran SSP Vineet Kumar said, “One of the rescued orphan girls from Jharkhand shared that she was approached by a man when she was around the age of 15 who promised her a better life and married her, only to abandon her soon after. He introduced her to a woman who convinced her to accompany her for work and a ‘better future’. However, she sold her to one Golu, who was also arrested during the operation.”

During counselling, the girl broke down and said she had spent three years in despair, believing she would never escape.

AVA executive director Dhananjay Tingal said, “The phenomenal work being done by the govt and the police in rescuing children and prosecuting traffickers now needs to be complemented by fast-track trials and release of compensation by courts.”