Human Trafficking: 3 victims share tales of horror

Artwork: Dibarah Mahboob

After being held captive by a sex trafficking gang in India's Bengaluru for 77 days, three victims who managed to flee and return home told police of their ordeal and informed that many others are still being held by the racket.

One of them, a 16-year-old girl, filed a case accusing 12 suspects under the human trafficking prevention act with Hatirjheel Police Station in the capital on Tuesday.

Officers then raided Dabokpara Kaliyani in Satkhira and arrested three suspects, said Deputy Commissioner Md Shahidullah of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (Tejgaon division).

Five of the 12 accused are in the country, he told a press conference yesterday.

The suspects arrested on Tuesday are: Mehedi Hasan Babu, Mohiuddin, and Abdul Quader.

Mehedi admitted to officers that he had trafficked over 1,000 women to India in the eight years he has been involved with a human trafficking gang, the DC said, adding that Mohiuddin and Quader also helped at least 500 women to illegally enter India by crossing the border.

Officers seized two motorcycles, a diary, four mobile phones and an Indian SIM card from the arrestees. In the seized diary and the phones, investigators found the names of Ridoy Babo, Sagar, Sobuj, Dalim and Rubel.

After the video clip of a 22-year-old woman being tortured and sexually assaulted went viral on social media, Indian police on May 27 arrested Rifadul Islam Ridoy, 26, who goes by the alias Ridoy Babo, and five other Bangladeshis in Bengaluru.

Bangladeshi law enforcers later identified an international racket, involving some Bangladeshis.

Police said Ridoy first met the 16-year-old plaintiff near the capital's Madhubagh bridge in 2019. On later occasions, he promised the girl of making her a TikTok star and offering her a well-paid job.

In February 2020, Ridoy arranged a TikTok Hangout with 70-80 boys and girls at the Adventure Land Park in Narayanganj. On September 18 of the same year, Ridoy organised a pool party with 700-800 young girls and boys at Afreen Garden Resort in Gazipur.

On February 19, 2021, Ridoy and other suspected members of the racket trafficked the girl to India through Satkhira border after telling her that they were taking her to Lalon Shah Mazar in Kushtia, the DC said.

In India, the girl was made to stay in several locations in Anandapura, Bengaluru. She met several other trafficking victims from Bangladesh.

She was sent to a hotel in Chennai for 10 days where she was subjected to severe torture and sexual assault, police said.

Police also found a video of the 16-year-old victim being tortured brutally by the same gang.

With the help of the 22-year-old woman, who was seen being tortured in the viral video, she was able to escape with two other Bangladeshi girls and return home.

DC Shahidullah said the women have all entered India illegally and later obtained Indian identity cards to move around.

'BOSS RAFI', 3 OTHERS ON REMAND

A Dhaka court yesterday placed four members of the human trafficking racket, including the "kingpin" Ashraful Islam Rafi alias Boss Rafi, on a five-day remand each.

The others are Sahida Begum alias Madam Sahida, Ismail Sarder, and Abdur Rahman Sheikh alias Arman Sheikh.

Rab said Rafi met Ridoy two years ago and they used social media to target the victims. They trafficked about 50 girls after promising them modelling contracts or well-paid jobs.

According to Rab, Rafi has several "safe houses" in Bengaluru and along the borders of Bangladesh.

ANOTHER ACCUSED SHOT IN THE LEG

Yet another suspect named Sobuj was shot in the leg in India's Bengaluru yesterday while he, according to police, was trying to run away from officers.

Sobuj attacked a police team which was trying to arrest him, reports our New Delhi correspondent, quoting police.

Just days ago, two other suspects were shot in the leg by police in India during what officials said was their attempt to escape.