Khunti (Jharkhand): Jharkhand Police have rescued four minor girls from the state's Khunti district who had been trafficked to Delhi and Jaipur, police officials said on Monday, October 19. Three of the girls were traced to Delhi, while the fourth was found in Jaipur — nearly 11 years after she first went missing.

According to police, the three girls rescued from Delhi had gone missing from their homes around a year ago, after which their families lodged complaints and a search was launched. Acting on leads gathered during the investigation, a police team traced and rescued them from Delhi. The girl in Jaipur was traced during the same investigation.

Police said the girls were allegedly lured away on the pretext of better employment and were then made to work as domestic help in households, placed through placement agencies. Investigators are now probing the alleged role of traffickers and placement agencies in the network.

Khunti Superintendent of Police Rishabh Garg said the rescues were carried out as part of an ongoing drive against human trafficking, that the investigation is continuing, and that other accused persons linked to the cases will be identified and acted against. Arrangements are being made to bring all four girls back to Khunti, where they will first receive counselling and then be reunited with their families with the help of the Child Welfare Committee.

Sources: IANS, Nation Press, Town Post, Daily Kiran.