Minor girl from Assam ‘sold’ in Panipat for prostitution, woman among three arrested

KARNAL: A 15-year-old girl from Assam was allegedly sold for Rs 15,000 in Panipat and pushed into prostitution.

Police said the girl was brought from Delhi to Panipat around a month ago by three people, including a woman, who allegedly run a sex racket in Panipat and pushed her into the flesh trade.

The matter came to light on April 2, when the girl managed to escape from the house she was kept in on the Jatal road. She reached the women police station and narrated her saga. The police sent her to an orphanage at Saudhapur.

The police have arrested the three accused, identified as Jitender Verma, Aarti and Suresh, all residents of Panipat. They were booked under Sections 370, 372 of IPC, Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences Act and Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act.

Talking to HT, women police station in-charge Kavita said, “After recording the victim’s statement, we sent her to the orphanage and started investigations into the matter. A case was registered at the Model Town police station in Panipat.”

Model Town SHO Amit Kumar said, “We are taking help of the Delhi Police to arrest another accused, Raju of Delhi, who allegedly sold the girl to the three accused in Panipat.

Meanwhile, the victim reportedly attempted suicide by drinking toilet cleaner at the orphanage and has been admitted to the Bhagat Phool Singh Medical College in Khanpur Kalan of Sonepat. However, the SHO said, “The girl denied that she tried to commit suicide. She said she was suffering from stomach ache and took a spoon of toilet cleaner assuming it to be medicine.”