Khunti (Jharkhand), Oct 19 (IANS) The Jharkhand Police have rescued four minor girls from the state’s Khunti district, targeted by human trafficking gangs, from Delhi and Jaipur, police officials said on Monday.

Three of the girls were rescued from Delhi, while another one was traced to Jaipur after she went missing nearly 11 years ago, according to police.

Investigators are now probing the alleged involvement of human traffickers and placement agencies behind the human trafficking cases.

Police said the three girls rescued from Delhi had gone missing from their homes around a year ago. Following complaints lodged by their families, police launched a search for them.

Acting on information gathered during the investigation, a police team traced the girls to Delhi and rescued them safely.

In another separate case, police traced a girl in Jaipur who had been away from her family for nearly 11 years and subsequently rescued her.

According to the police, the girls had been taken to other states by human traffickers on the pretext of providing them better jobs. They were subsequently made to work as domestic help in different households through placement agencies.

Police are investigating the circumstances under which the girls were taken away from their homes and are trying to find those who are involved in this racket.

Khunti’s Superintendent of Police Rishabh Garg said the rescues were carried out as part of an ongoing drive against human trafficking.

He said the investigation was continuing and that other accused persons involved in the cases would be identified and action taken against them.

Police said arrangements were being made to bring all four girls safely back to Khunti. They will undergo counselling, following which the process of reuniting them with their families will be carried out with the assistance of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC).

Police said they are also investigating the wider network of human trafficking and the role of placement agencies in the racket.

–IANS

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