Minor Rescued from Human Trafficking Racket in Bhubaneswar; Accused Arrested

Bhubaneswar: In a shocking case of human trafficking, the Kharavela Nagar police rescued a minor girl from a hotel in Unit-4 area of the city and arrested the main accused for allegedly forcing her into the flesh trade under the pretext of offering a job.

The accused, identified as Mahendra Patra of Masjid Colony in Unit-3, had reportedly lured the victim — a minor from Kankadahad in Dhenkanal district — by promising her employment in Bhubaneswar. The girl, who had been working in Cuttack and staying with a relative in Baramunda, had been actively searching for a job when she fell into the accused’s trap.

According to police sources, Mahendra took the girl to a hotel in Unit-4 on Wednesday, claiming she had an interview there. Later that evening, around 9 PM, he allegedly brought a customer to the hotel room and tried to coerce her into an illicit act. The minor managed to alert a friend, who immediately informed the police. Acting swiftly, a police team raided the hotel, rescued the girl, and detained the accused.

The police have seized CCTV footage from the hotel, and the accused was produced before court on Thursday. Preliminary investigations revealed that the racket targeted job-seeking women and minors, luring them to hotels for fake interviews before blackmailing or intimidating them into prostitution.

Sources said further investigation is underway to identify other members of the trafficking network.

The case has triggered serious concern within the Commissionerate Police, especially after similar rackets were busted recently in Laxmisagar and Unit-3 areas. Authorities have now intensified surveillance in hotels and lodges across Bhubaneswar to crack down on such criminal activities.