Flesh trade racket busted in Bettiah, 7 arrested

Bettiah: Seven people, including four girls and a house owner, were arrested following a late-night police raid on Sunday on an alleged flesh trade racket operating from a residential locality under Kalibagh police station area in West Champaran district, police said on Monday.Acting on a tip-off about alleged exploitation of girls for prostitution at a house in the area, a joint team of Kalibagh, Nagar and Manuapul police stations, along with the Quick Response Team (QRT), conducted the raid.During the operation, police detained four girls and two local youths from the premises. The house owner was also taken into custody.Sadar-I SDPO Ajit Kumar said preliminary investigation indicates that one of the detained girls appears to be a minor. “The age of the girls is being verified. Three are residents of West Champaran, while one is from Gorakhpur. Her address is also being verified,” he said.Police said the precise role of the detained persons is yet to be ascertained and further interrogation is underway. Kalibagh police have registered a case against all seven accused for their alleged involvement.“All arrested persons have been forwarded to jail. Further investigation is in progress,” the SDPO said.