A girl from Chakradharpur sub-division of Jharkhand's West Singhbhum district fell victim to human traffickers and was allegedly sold for Rs 25,000 in Uttar Pradesh, police said on Monday.
The 16-year-old girl was also subjected to physical torture by her buyers, the police said.
Chakradharpur Police Station Officer-in-Charge, Awadesh Kumar told PTI on Monday that the girl was on her way to school with her elder sister on January 20 this year when an argument broke out between the two over certain issues.
"The victim left her elder sister midway and headed to the Chakradharpur Railway Station. Spotting the girl alone at the station, an unidentified tout managed to ensnare her in his trap. The accused convinced the girl to accompany him by promising her a job and painting a picture of a better life," the police officer said.
The girl went along with him on the train to Uttar Pradesh.
"The tout took her to Inayatpur in the Sitapur district of Uttar Pradesh and contacted a man named Kishori Lal Kuiri," the police officer added.
The tout informed the person about the girl, who, in turn contacted his neighbour Sandeep Kumar about the girl to be sold.
"Following this, Sandeep mortgaged a plot of land measuring 2.5 decimal and purchased the girl for Rs 25,000," police claimed.
Following the girl's disappearance, her mother and sister searched for her tirelessly after failing to trace her they lodged a missing persons case on April 2 at Chakradharpur Police Station.
"Police acting on technical surveillance and information from sources successfully traced the girl's location and raided the accused residence in Uttar Pradesh and rescued the girl and arrested both Sandeep Kumar and Kishori Lal Kuiri on Sunday," said Awadesh Kumar.
In her statement to the police, the girl revealed that she had been subjected to continuous physical abuse and was physically assaulted.
"Burnt marks could be seen in various parts of her body. We are awaiting the medical examination report of the girl for confirmation of sexual assault, which the girl has claimed. The girl is currently with her family," the police officer said.
Both the accused were remanded to judicial custody on Monday.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
