Bilasipara: Fresh concerns have gripped Bilasipara following reports that a sex trafficking racket has once again become active in the region, allegedly preying on unsuspecting girls and women from rural and economically weaker backgrounds.
The latest case emerged from Bangali Para Part-II village under Bilasipara Co-District, where a minor girl was reportedly abducted on October 19 and later sold to a hotel in Cooch Behar district of West Bengal. The incident has sparked widespread outrage and renewed calls for stronger vigilance and cross-border coordination against human trafficking.
According to sources, the victim’s family lodged an immediate complaint at Bilasipara Police Station, leading to prompt police action. Based on the FIR, a special team was formed, and the police launched an intensive operation across the border. The effort culminated in the rescue of the minor girl from Narayan Hotel in Cooch Behar, where she was allegedly being held against her will.
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During the operation, police arrested two suspects, identified as Raju Sen and Shyamal Das, the latter reportedly the manager of the hotel. Authorities believe the duo is part of a wider trafficking network that has been operating along the Assam–West Bengal border, deceiving young women with false promises of jobs and marriage before selling them into exploitation.
A case has been registered at Bilasipara Police Station (Case No. 338/25) under Sections 61(2)/123/137(2)/143/64(2)(m) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, read with Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012. Police officials confirmed that the investigation is ongoing, and efforts are being made to trace other members of the trafficking network.
Local residents, alarmed by the recurrence of such incidents, have urged authorities to take stringent and sustained action against trafficking syndicates operating in the border areas. Community leaders emphasized the need for heightened awareness, stronger law enforcement presence, and inter-state cooperation to safeguard vulnerable women and children.
“This is not the first time such a case has surfaced,” said a local resident. “The administration must ensure that these networks are dismantled completely, and that justice is served for the victims.”
Police sources assured that further arrests are likely, and that measures are being taken to tighten surveillance in sensitive zones to prevent similar crimes in the future.
