Kalghatagi teen rescued in Rajasthan

A 19-year-old girl of Kamadhenu village in Kalghatgi taluk, was reportedly sold to a businessman in Rajasthan two months ago.

However, based on a complaint filed by her mother Kamalavva Muriyeppagoudar, the district police have busted the girl trafficking racket, and have arrested three mediators who reportedly cheated the girl’s mother and sold the girl in Rajasthan.

The arrested have been identified as Basappa Boodhannavar, and a couple Sharief Saab and Raziya from Mishrikoti.

While Basappa was arrested on December 20 based on a complaint by the victim’s mother, the other two accomplices were arrested on Tuesday. This is the second incident of trafficking reported in the gap of a year.

The parents of the victim were in search of a bridegroom for their daughter. As the father and mother of the girl were living separately with the father staying at Gumgol in Navalgund taluk, the mediator, Basappa, approached the girl’s mother stating that he knew some people in Rajasthan where the girl could be married off. Falling for this trap, Kamalavva sent her daughter with Basappa to Rajasthan.

‘Sold for Rs two lakh’

According to the confession before the police, Basappa has reportedly stated that he took the girl to a place called Paloda village near Jodhpur in October, and had married her off to one Ashok Kumar Jain, and took Rs 2 lakh from Jain.

Basappa had sought the support of Sherif Saab and Raziya to get in contact with Ashok Kumar Jain. All the three had shared the money given by Jain, and had returned to the village.

They told the victim’s mother that her daughter was well settled in Rajasthan, and has been married to a rich businessman.

However, the victim’s father did not know anything of this, but believed that his daughter was still with his wife Kamalavva.

The victim’s mother grew suspicious when she did not receive any calls from her daughter even after two months. When her attempts to contact Basappa failed, Kamalavva filed a complaint at the Kalghatgi police station on December 20.

Taking a serious note of the incident, the police arrested Basappa who confessed that with the support of the couple, he had sold the girl to a businessman in Rajasthan.
Based on this information, the district police visited Paloda village and brought back the girl Tuesday evening. The police have launched a manhunt for Jain.

They are also on the lookout for one Sunitha and Hemanthkumar from Rajasthan, who are said to have struck the deal with Basappa and the couple.

Dharwad Superintendent of Police Y S Ravikumar said that they were also looking whether more such gangs existed in Kalghatagi.