Gorakhpur: The nightmare began on January 1 when a minor boy from the Shahpur area lured her to a hotel where he raped the victim for three days
In a chilling case that has highlighted a burgeoning human trafficking network, a 13-year-old girl was rescued by police after being kidnapped, gang-raped, and sold to a spa center.
The minor’s ordeal, which lasted nearly three weeks, ended on Saturday evening when police took four suspects into custody, including the girl’s minor “boyfriend” and a hotel owner.
The nightmare began on January 1, when a minor boy from the Shahpur area, whom the girl had been in contact with for six months via Instagram, lured her to a hotel in the GIDA (Gorakhpur Industrial Development Authority) area.
According to police statements, the boy allegedly raped the victim for three days before abandoning her at the hotel. Left vulnerable and alone, the girl was then targeted by the hotel’s staff. Owner Abhai Singh and manager Adarsh Pandey are accused of repeatedly sexually assaulting the minor.
When the victim fell ill due to the trauma, she was allegedly given unidentified medicines and forced back into a cycle of abuse. Eventually, the hotel staff sold her to Ankit, the manager of a beauty spa in Barhalganj, where the exploitation continued.
While the police initially recovered the girl on January 20, a significant procedural lapse occurred. She was handed back to her family without a mandatory medical examination. It was only after the victim narrated the full extent of her ordeal to her mother that the family approached SP City Abhinav Tyagi. Recognizing the gravity of the allegations, the SP ordered immediate intervention.
“The girl has been rescued, and we have arrested three primary accused: the hotel owner, the hotel manager, and the spa operator,” stated SP City Abhinav Tyagi.
“The minor boy has also been detained for questioning. We are conducting a thorough investigation, and rape charges will be formally added following the medical examination,” he added.
This case has reignited concerns regarding the “spa culture” and substandard hotels operating on the outskirts of Gorakhpur and along major highways. Investigators suspect this may not be an isolated incident but rather part of a larger prostitution racket. A similar syndicate was exposed in the region last year, and police are now working to dismantle the entire network involved in this case.
The girl is currently receiving medical attention, and police are investigating the digital footprint of the suspects to determine if other minors have been targeted through social media.
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