Mansa, April 24
Despite the claims of the district administration, the number of migrant girls for sale has allegedly increased in this belt of Malwa. Such girls are brought to Maghania village in Budhlada subdivision of the district and kept in a small house where prospective buyers come and strike deals.
Sources say that the girls are mostly from poor families of the eastern states of India. They are brought here by pimps with a promise of marriage with a rich Punjabi man. But they are sold to elderly persons for Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000. In extraordinary cases, the price may rise up to Rs 1 lakh.
A team of mediapersons who visited the house, posing as prospective buyers, saw seven young girls lined up for sale.
The girls, attired in beautiful clothes, were made to sit in a row and some middle-aged persons were negotiating deals.
The mediapersons, in the guise of prospective buyers were told that the price of a girl named Basanti was Rs 25,000 by Raju, a Bengali pimp.
A 50-year-old customer, who had come from Sangrur district offered to pay Rs 25,000 for a 15-year-old girl named Anita.
Raju, the pimp, said he had sold more than 5,000 girls.
Mr S.K. Ahluwalia, Deputy Commissioner, Mansa, expressed ignorance about such ‘girl bazaars’ and said he had asked the Senior Superintendent of Police to investigate the matter. Mr S.S. Srivastava, SSP, said he was probing the case and would shortly come out with the facts.
