A 15-year-old Dalit girl from Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj district was allegedly lured, trafficked over 1,000 kilometres to Kerala, and forced into a terror recruitment network after being coerced into religious conversion, police said on Monday.
Lured and Trafficked by Teenager
The ordeal began on May 8, when the girl, a resident of the Phoolpur area, was allegedly lured by a 19-year-old woman named Darkhsha Bano. She was then taken by Mohammed Kaif on a motorcycle to the Prayagraj railway station, where she was reportedly harassed before being transported to Delhi and later to Kerala by train.
Once in Kerala, she was allegedly introduced to individuals involved in radicalisation efforts. Police claim she was forcibly converted to another religion and then pressured to participate in terror-related activities.
Escape and Rescue
The girl’s mother had filed a missing person complaint on June 26, nearly seven weeks after her disappearance. Meanwhile, the teenager managed to escape from her captors and reached Thrissur railway station, where she contacted local police.
“After contacting her mother from Kerala, the girl was brought back to Prayagraj and is currently being housed at a One Stop Centre for protection,” said DCP Kuldeep Singh Gunawat.
Ongoing Threats and Police Action
The girl’s mother reportedly received threatening calls from an unknown number after approaching the police.
Girl’s Testimony Reveals Wider Network
During interrogation, the victim told police she was not the only target. She revealed that multiple girls were being targeted by the same group, offered money, and later coerced into extremist activities.
“She was initially enticed with money, forced into converting her religion and then joining a terror network,” officials stated.
Police have now registered a case against Darkhsha Bano, Mohammed Kaif, and an unidentified person believed to be behind the threats. Authorities have also formed three special teams to investigate the organised network behind this operation.
This incident has triggered widespread concern about child safety, religious coercion, and extremist recruitment, prompting calls for a thorough crackdown on such operations.