BJP leader arrested on human trafficking charges in Assam

Six people, including a BJP leader, have been arrested on the charges of human trafficking in Murajhar in Assam's Hojai district, officials said on Wednesday.

The arrested persons have been identified as Parbina Begum, the primary suspect, Bilal Uddin, Afzal Uddin, Nasir Hussain, BJP leader Abdul Karim, and Ajmal Hussain.

The arrested were produced in the Sankardev Nagar district court in Hojai and then sent to jail.

Begum and her brother Ajmal Hussain were sent to two days police custody while the other four were sent to judicial custody for further questioning.

A senior police officer said that the human trafficking group lured a minor girl in Murajhar area promising employment and afterwards sold her to a Delhi prostitution ring.

However, the victim was able to escape and travel to Dehradun. Using the child helpline number, the police turned her over to the One Step Centre there.

On Tuesday, the victim's family was assisted by the All Assam Minority Students' Union (AAMSU) in bringing the victim back to Hojai.

The victim's statement was recorded by police in Hojai, and a case under several sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act was registered.