‘Love Jihad’ Destination: Sonagachi Red-Light Areas in Kolkata.

Alleged ‘Love Jihad’ and Human Trafficking: Hindu Minor Girl Rescued from Sonagachi; Two Muslims Arrested.

Hindu minor girl allegedly lured to Kolkata by Muslim man with promises of a domestic life; police rescue her from Sonagachi and arrest two Muslim suspects.

Saunak Roy Choudhury | HENB | Kolkata| Aug 9, 2026:: A shocking case of alleged human trafficking has come to light in Kolkata, where a 16-year-old girl from North 24 Parganas was reportedly brought to the city and rescued from the Sonagachi red-light district. According to police sources, the minor had allegedly been lured into a romantic relationship with a man who promised her a domestic life before she was brought to Kolkata and subsequently handed over to another person in exchange for money.

The incident has been described by some observers as a possible case of ‘Love Jihad’; however, the exact circumstances, motive, and nature of the relationship remain subject to police investigation.

The Hindu minor girl was rescued by officers of the Burtolla Police Station following information received from the Child Helpline and a call to the ‘100’ emergency number. Police reportedly conducted the rescue operation in the Sonagachi area within approximately one hour. Two men, including the girl’s alleged lover, have been arrested in connection with the case.

Operation and Rescue

According to police sources, the Child Helpline sent an email to the Burtolla Police Station on Friday regarding the minor’s whereabouts. The matter was also reported through the ‘100’ emergency helpline.

Acting on the information, a police team launched a search operation in the Sonagachi area. The 16-year-old girl was eventually located and rescued during a raid on a house on Durgacharan Mitra Street.

After verifying her identity and other relevant documents, the police took the minor to a safe location. Further procedures relating to her protection and welfare are being carried out in accordance with the law.

Alleged Romantic Trap and Trafficking

During the preliminary investigation, police reportedly uncovered details suggesting that Shafiqul Molla, alias Bablu, a resident of Shyamnagar in North 24 Parganas, had allegedly established contact with the minor and lured her into a romantic relationship.

According to investigators, Molla subsequently brought the girl to Kolkata and allegedly handed her over to a young man identified as Shahrul Laskar, alias Shahrukh, in exchange for money. The minor was reportedly kept under Shahrukh’s supervision in the Sonagachi area.

The circumstances surrounding the alleged transaction and the exact purpose for which the girl was brought to Sonagachi are now being investigated by the police.

Two Arrested; Investigation Underway

Following the rescue, police arrested both Shafiqul Molla and Shahrul Laskar. Cases have reportedly been registered against the accused under serious, non-bailable provisions of law, including alleged offences relating to criminal conspiracy, kidnapping, and rape.

Investigators are examining whether Molla acted independently while allegedly exploiting the minor’s trust or whether he was connected to a broader human-trafficking network. Police are also investigating the precise role allegedly played by Shahrukh in the case and whether other minors or young women may have been trafficked through a similar modus operandi.

The arrested suspects are being interrogated as investigators seek to establish the full extent of the alleged trafficking operation and identify any additional persons who may have been involved.

Debate Over ‘Love Jihad’ and Trafficking

The case has also renewed public debate in West Bengal over allegations commonly described by Hindu organisations and some political groups as ‘Love Jihad’. The term is used by such groups to describe alleged cases in which Hindu women or girls are purportedly targeted through romantic relationships for purposes including religious conversion, exploitation, or trafficking. The existence and scale of any organised conspiracy described by the term remain matters of continuing political and legal debate.

Cases involving minors being allegedly lured through romantic promises and subsequently subjected to exploitation or trafficking are, however, serious criminal matters irrespective of the religious identities of those involved.

Across Bengal, as in the rest of the country, thousands of Hindu girls are allegedly falling prey to what is described as the ‘Love Jihad’ trap every day. They face a grim fate involving abuse, human trafficking, alleged forced conversion, murder, and exploitation in brothels. Several Indian states have enacted or strengthened laws dealing with religious conversion through force, fraud, coercion or inducement. The Sonagachi case is therefore likely to intensify calls from sections of West Bengal society for stronger measures against human trafficking, exploitation of minors, and alleged fraudulent relationships linked to criminal activity.

The immediate focus of the investigation remains the safety and rehabilitation of the rescued minor, while police continue to establish the facts of the case and determine whether the arrested suspects were acting alone or as part of a wider trafficking network.
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News Source: The Wall.