Bihar: Arshad Alam jailed a minor girl on the pretext of love; Police rescue six girls after receiving a complaint from NCPCR

Following a complaint from the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), Siwan police arrested Arshad Alam, accused of exploiting a minor girl under the guise of an ‘orchestra’ in Bihar. Later, police rescued five other girls. The move was announced by NCPCR chairman Priyank Kanoongo on October 10.

According to Chairman Kanoongo, the action came about after an NGO, Mission Mukti Foundation, filed a complaint with the NCPCR over the exploitation of minors. On the orders of the commission, Siwan police conducted a raid in the early morning of October 10, during which the minors were rescued and Alam detained.

Kanoongo shared the details on his social media account, X (formerly Twitter), emphasizing the urgency of the matter. He posted a video of Alam, stating: “Listen to Arshad’s statement. His method of crime involves grooming and exploiting underage girls under the pretext of ‘love’. This video is intended to raise public awareness to protect our daughters.”

The video statement of Alam, who hails from Gopalganj, Bihar, revealed his tactics of duping minors with promises of ‘love marriage’. He claimed to have performed such a marriage with a minor from Durgapur, Bengal and was preparing for one ‘nikah’ ceremony.

I think it’s good I think it’s good I think I did good @NCPCR_ के के बाद आज तड़के सिवान पुलिस ने छापामार कार्रवाई कर के के 6 लड़कियों को रेस्क्यू किया है। है। है। है। है। है। है। है। है।

I found “लव” I… pic.twitter.com/kR1qosqQfO

— प्रियंक कानूनगो Priyank Kanoongo (@KanoongoPriyank) October 10, 2024

Highlighting the severity of the exploitation, Chairman Kanoongo suggested that Alam’s methods included luring minors with false promises of marriage followed by sexual exploitation. There is also evidence that Alam could force the conversion to Islam of non-Muslim minors before the ‘nikah’.

This case highlights the ongoing issue of exploitation of minors in the region, prompting calls for increased vigilance and protective measures for minors. The NCPCR and local authorities are expected to continue their investigations to ensure justice for the victims and prevent future occurrences.

Statement from NCPCR: “We are committed to protecting the rights of children. This operation is a testament to our determination. We urge the community to be vigilant and report suspicious activities to prevent such heinous crimes.”