Patna: In a major crackdown on fraudulent job rackets, the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) along with Samastipur district police rescued 105 youths, including 38 girls, who were allegedly confined and exploited after being lured with promises of government jobs. The rescued individuals hail from various districts of Bihar as well as Assam and West Bengal.
Operation Details
The operation was conducted late Wednesday night following complaints that a private marketing company operating near the Bhola Talkies railway crossing in Samastipur town had been misleading job seekers. The company allegedly organized recruitment drives offering government employment and enrolled candidates in a supposed two-month training program.
According to police, instead of providing government jobs, the company forced recruits into marketing work and housed them at different locations under the Mufassil police station area, including Dharampur and Musapur. Several victims alleged they were not allowed to leave freely and were threatened with dismissal if they failed to achieve sales targets.
Minors Among Rescued
Police confirmed that the rescued group includes several minors. The children will be produced before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), after which their families will be contacted. Adult victims will be sent home after the completion of verification procedures.
ASP Sanjay Pandey stated that the rescue operation was based on specific inputs received by the police. He noted that a human rights team also participated in the action and emphasized that the youths had allegedly been detained under the pretext of being provided government jobs. An investigation is underway into possible human trafficking and fraud.
Search for Operators
Following the raid, the operators of the company allegedly locked their office in the town’s marketing complex and fled. Police teams have launched searches to trace and arrest those involved.
Police are also questioning the rescued youths to ascertain how they were recruited, the conditions in which they were kept, and the nature of the work they were allegedly forced to perform.
