Mistook him for customer: Minor rescued after traffickers dial SHO number

According to police, the accused, Amar, came across a YouTube video, in which he saw the SHO’s number on the walls of a brothel. However, Amar did not know it was a policeman’s number, and instead contacted the SHO thinking it was a potential customer.

The SHO, in coordination with two of his constables, managed to track down Amar and his accomplice, Ranjeet Shah. Posing as a brothel owner, the SHO met the accused and the girl at New Delhi railway station on November 21. He had also learnt the lingo of a brother owner, so he could “bargain” with the men. Eventually, the girl was rescued.

DCP (central) M S Randhawa said the police team had sent decoy customers to ascertain the location of the girl, and eventually agreed to buy her for Rs 2.3 lakh, of which Rs 20,000 was paid in advance.

“During questioning, Amar said he had lured the girl from his village under the pretext of marriage. He wanted to sell the girl to a brothel and was on the lookout for prospective buyers,” Randhawa said.

SHO Kumar told The Indian Express, “It was difficult talking in that language. But our aim was to rescue the girl. I had even deleted my display picture and uninstalled Truecaller… I also tried to get my details deleted from the application. Then we bargained for a few days before I won his trust.”