Girl helps nab traffickers on tip from TV serial

Patna: A teenaged girl saved herself and another girl from the clutches of human traffickers in the Bihar capital after she sensed trouble, thanks to scenes she recalled from her favourite Hindi TV serial on crime investigation, police said on Friday.

Police arrested Mohd Shahjahan and his wife Suman on Thursday on charges of human trafficking and recovered the two girls from their clutches.

"I saved myself and another girl of my age after raising an alarm. I grew suspicious after hearing Shahjahan speaking to someone on the phone and telling the person at the other end to strike a deal for us," said the 16-year-old girl.

The girl said she remembered a scene from the TV serial CID when she overheard the phone conversation.

"I started crying loudly in the park, and requested people around to protect us and inform the police. That worked in our favour," she said.

The 16-year-old girl, who hails from a village in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh and the other girl, who belongs to a village in Bihar's Gaya district, were lured by Shahjahan, who promised to marry one of them and help the other get a job.

Both the girls told police that they left their homes because they were angry with their families.

"I was living with my brother and sister-in-law in Bangalore. I decided to leave because I was angry with my sister-in-law. I boarded a train for Santkabir Nagar in Uttar Pradesh and reached Patna railway station two days ago. I met Shahjahan here, and he promised to help," said the 16-year-old.

Patna railway station police incharge officer Rampukar Singh said both girls were brought to the park so a deal could be settled for them.

Shahjahan confessed that the 16-year-old was to be sold for Rs 1 lakh and the other teenaged girl for Rs 30,000. A deal had been struck with a man in Nalanda district.

"The 16-year-old girl commanded a high rate because she is fair-complexioned and healthy. The other girl, in comparison, is dark," Singh said.

Singh said the girls would soon be returned to their families, who have already been contacted.