Odisha police arrest one person from Uttar Pradesh in connection with trafficking of minor girl

Odisha police have arrested a man from Uttar Pradesh’s Jhansi in connection with the trafficking and forced marriage of an underage tribal girl. Officials said the investigation will be expanded to include more people.

The girl, who was lured with the promise of a job, was smuggled to Jhansi from Kankadahad area in Dhenkanal district by a middleman. In her complaint to the Kamakshyanagar police station, she alleged that she was sold to two families in Jhansi and was sexually assaulted by multiple men for nearly two years.

Police confirmed the earlier arrest of Binay Patra, who is accused of sending the girl to Jhansi. The last person arrested was Chandrapal Kushwah (26), who confessed to marrying the minor after spending ₹30,000 on the ceremony. Jitendra Mallick, Inspector-in-Charge of Kamakshyanagar police station, said, “Legitimacy of marriage does not arise when the girl is a minor.”

According to the girl’s complaint, Chandrapal was sexually assaulted by her elder brother and two uncles. Civil society groups say many young girls from Odisha and other states are trafficked to northern India under the guise of housework, but are often forced into marriage due to skewed gender ratios in these regions. The survivor also revealed that she was kept in Bhubaneswar along with three other girls before being smuggled to Jhansi.