Minor traced to Sonagachi after run with alleged partner; swift police action follows
A 16-year-old girl who left home with a youth was located and rescued from Kolkata’s Sonagachi red‑light area within an hour of the police receiving a distress call, a senior officer said on Saturday. Two men have been arrested and a case registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956, police added.
The rescued adolescent, a resident of North 24 Parganas, told investigators that she had left home with Shafiqul Molla, 20, and travelled to Kolkata. She later alleged that Molla had sold her to Saharul Laskar, 39, police said. The information that prompted the rescue came through a call to the police helpline and an email sent to the child helpline, according to officers.
"After receiving the information, a team of the Barabazar police station immediately began a search in the Sonagachi area. The girl was rescued within an hour," a senior police officer said.
The operation was led by a team from Barabazar police station, which located the girl in a room in Sonagachi. Police contacted the person who had made the distress call and subsequently verified the identity of the rescued minor, the officer said.
- Accused arrested: Shafiqul Molla (20) — resident of Garulia in Shyamnagar, North 24 Parganas.
- Accused arrested: Saharul Laskar (39) — resident of Durga Charan Mitra Street, Kolkata.
- Charges: Cases registered under provisions of the BNS, the POCSO Act and the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956.
Both Molla and Laskar have been questioned, and police said they are examining whether any other persons were involved in the incident. The matter falls at the intersection of child protection, trafficking and sexual‑offence laws, and will be investigated under the relevant statutory provisions.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Victim | 16‑year‑old girl, resident of North 24 Parganas |
| Location of rescue | Room in Sonagachi, Kolkata |
| Arrested | Shafiqul Molla (20); Saharul Laskar (39) |
| Police station | Barabazar police station |
| Legal provisions | BNS, POCSO Act, Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 |
The Sonagachi neighbourhood, long known as one of Kolkata’s most visible red‑light areas, frequently draws the attention of civic authorities, law enforcement and child‑welfare agencies. Incidents involving minors in such localities prompt immediate action from specialised units and child‑protection services, according to established police procedure.
Local policing teams said the quick response was prompted by the combination of a helpline call and an email alert to the child helpline, which enabled the Barabazar unit to verify details and carry out a focussed search. The investigating officer added that identity checks were carried out after the initial contact, allowing confirmation that the person found in Sonagachi was the missing minor.
Police have not disclosed further details about the ongoing probe, including whether the girl has been handed over to child‑welfare authorities or whether additional arrests are anticipated. Officials said the inquiry will determine the circumstances leading up to the girl's arrival in Kolkata and whether there was a broader trafficking network involved.
The case will be monitored by the relevant juvenile‑justice and child‑protection mechanisms as it proceeds through investigation and any subsequent legal action under POCSO and the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act. Community stakeholders and child‑welfare groups often call for sustained vigilance in transit hubs and known red‑light localities in Greater Kolkata to prevent exploitation of minors.
Police said inquiries are continuing and urged anyone with information relevant to the case to come forward to the Barabazar police station.
