Patna, February 13 Bihar Police rescued 15 girls from six orchestra groups in Saran district during a five-hour operation, officials said on Friday.
The raids were conducted from late Thursday night to the early hours of Friday in coordination with the police's anti-human trafficking unit and NGOs.
The girls were rescued from Kajal Orchestra, Sur Sangam Orchestra, Kopa Chatti Orchestra, Khushi Orchestra, Shyam Orchestra, and Diya Orchestra, all operating within a 10-km radius in the district, police said.
NGOs that participated in the operation included the Association for Voluntary Action and Narayani Seva Sansthan, both partners of Just Rights for Children (JRC), an international network of civil society organisations working to end violence and exploitation against children.
According to a statement by JRC, "Most of the rescued girls, who were allegedly trafficked from Punjab, Odisha, Assam, West Bengal, and Uttar Pradesh, bore injury marks on their bodies."
While 12 girls were rescued from the orchestra premises, the owner of Khushi Orchestra pushed three girls into a car and attempted to flee, but was apprehended after an eight-kilometre chase, the statement added.
A case has been registered under Sections 143(1) and 145 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the POCSO Act of 2012, Section 79 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, and Section 16 of the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act against seven accused, police said.
"The girls were forced to perform at night in orchestra groups on obscene songs. They were denied full payment and were subjected to physical violence and verbal abuse," the FIR stated.
Senior director of Association for Voluntary Action, Manish Sharma praised the police's action.
"Orchestra groups form a critical link in the larger trafficking syndicate. These networks lure vulnerable girls from other states and subject them to abuse and exploitation. It is imperative that this case is investigated as part of an organised crime syndicate by local police too and prosecuted accordingly," he said.
Sharma also emphasised on the need to ensure immediate rehabilitation and reintegration of the girls into the mainstream.
