A 16-year-old tribal girl from Songadh in south Gujarat was allegedly sold off to a farmer in Kheda for Rs 90,000 by a gang that promised her a job. A case was registered with the Surat Crime Branch after the girl escaped from Kheda after being “married” to the farmer.

The girl, a resident of Songadh taluka in Tapi district, was travelling to Surat in a state transport bus four months ago. A co-passenger, who identified herself as Meena alias Bhuri Thakor, a resident of Bajwa in Vadodara, got friendly with the girl. Later, both exchanged their mobile numbers as the girl reportedly told Meena that she was looking for a job.

Few days later, Meena called her up saying that she found a suitable job for her and asked the girl to come to Vadodara. Meena and her friend Madhu Patel met her in Vadodara railway station and took her to the house of one Rai Singh in Saraspur village of Vadodara.

According to the complaint, Meena locked her in a room of that house for few days. Later, a farmer from Vatva village in Kheda district, identified as Kirit Bhoye, allegedly bought the girl paying Rs 90,000 to Meena and took her with him saying he would marry her. When she refused to marry him, Kriti locked her in a room and threatened to kill her. He also allegedly raped her for two months, the police said.

However, the parents of the girl didn’t lodge any “missing” complaint as she had told them that she got a job in Vadodara. After getting an opportunity, the girl escaped from Kirit’s house a week ago and returned to her native place. She told her parents the story and she along with her parents lodged a complaint against the four accused at the Surat city Crime Branch police station on Saturday. Later in the afternoon, the police took the girl to the New Civil Hospital for medical examination.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Antrip Sood said, “We have registered a case and have started investigations. The victim had gone to Vadodara to get job, but the gang sold her off to a person and earned money. We have launched a search operation of the accused persons and they will be arrested soon.” (Report)