Minor girl rescued from traffickers

New Delhi: A minor girl who went missing from central Delhi's Anand Parvat area here in August, has been rescued, police said today.

The girl was allegedly forced to marry twice in a span of three months by a gang of traffickers whose four members have been arrested, they said.

The girl, aged around 15-16 years, recently called up her father using the phone of a man she had been married to. Following this, her father approached police.

The phone number she used was traced to Mahipalpur.

During investigation, police learnt that the girl belonged to a poor family and was close to one of her female neighbours.

Further investigation led to arrest of four accused and the girl was rescued from Mahipalpur four days ago, said a police officer.

The arrested accused include the woman neighbour Tarachand, Kale and her husband.

The accused woman allegedly got the girl married to a man who later committed suicide due to some unknown reason, said the officer.

Following this, the accused Tarachand got the girl married to a relative in October. The girl was treated cruelly by the second man whom she was married to, he said.

The accused had received money while selling off the girl for marriage, he said.

A case has been registered against the accused under sections 376 (rape), 363 (kidnapping), 366 ( Kidnapping, abducting or inducing woman to compel her marriage,), 366 A (procuration of minor girl) and provisions of the Protection of Children Against Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act at Ananad Parvat police station, he added.