SRINAGAR – Baramulla police in Jammu and Kashmir dismantled a human trafficking operation on Friday, rescuing four minor Rohingya girls who had been sold, officials reported.
Acting on a tip-off, police busted the trafficking ring in the Ushkura area of Baramulla district. The investigation uncovered that Shakeel Ahmad Bhat, an Ushkura resident, was involved in trafficking and exploiting minor girls brought from outside the Union Territory.
A case was registered at Baramulla police station, leading to a raid on Bhat’s residence. With a magistrate and female police officers present, three minor Rohingya girls from Myanmar were rescued.
Bhat’s interrogation revealed he had sold another minor girl to Mehraj Ahmad Tantray of Kanlibagh. A subsequent raid at Tantray’s home led to the rescue of this fourth minor Rohingya girl.
Both Bhat and Tantray have been arrested. Police are continuing efforts to identify and apprehend other individuals involved in this human trafficking racket.
This operation underscores the ongoing issue of human trafficking and the vulnerability of Rohingya refugees who have fled persecution in Myanmar.
Photo Credit: KASHMIR OBSERVER
