Police in Bihar’s East Champaran district have rescued nearly 600 people, including 79 minors, from the grip of fraudsters who lured victims with fake job offers and held them captive for extortion.
Acting on a tip-off, law enforcement officials raided the premises of a private firm in the Raxaul area and freed 495 youths along with 79 minor boys who had been detained there. Three individuals associated with the fraudulent operation were arrested, while efforts are underway to apprehend 17 others named in the FIR who remain at large.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the firm had been illegally detaining victims for extended periods, sometimes months, under the pretext of securing them employment.
The perpetrators allegedly extorted sums ranging from ₹15,000 to ₹20,000 from the victims' families in exchange for their release. Reports further suggest that those held captive endured physical and psychological abuse at the hands of the accused.
Following their rescue, all 79 minors were placed under the care of the Child Welfare Committee in Motihari, the district headquarters of East Champaran.
The police have launched a full-scale investigation into the matter, aiming to track down the remaining suspects and dismantle the fraudulent operation entirely.
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