Lucknow Police Bust Inter-State Gang Trafficking Minor Girls for Marriage
Lucknow Police busted this inter-state gang . They were allegedly pulling a stunt, luring minor girls on false promises of help, then selling them off for marriages in Rajasthan. Three people caught, plus one juvenile also apprehended, officials said Thursday.
It’s all pretty dark. The police claim they specifically hunted vulnerable girls—those who had lost parents or families struggling financially. They allegedly sent pictures of these girls to their contacts in Rajasthan. Then the whole arrangement? arranged for marriage, all for cash.
This case really started because two little girls vanished. Sixteen and twelve years old. They disappeared from Ganihar village near Mohanlalganj police station limits on May 12th. That’s when things kicked off.
The grandmother of one of the girls finally complained. She said a juvenile relative, along with an associate named Priya Patel, who lives in Raebareli, took them away. The story was that they were just visiting their mother. A flimsy excuse, maybe?
After that complaint hit, an FIR got filed under the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita stuff. Four police teams got scrambling to find them. One team even went undercover. They had to hunt these girls down.
The investigation involved looking through about 150 CCTV clips. Technical checks mixed with actual searching. Even though the girls’ phones were off, they still worked with what they found. Finally, on May 18th, those two girls were safe. Rescued.
But when the police dug deeper into everything after that rescue, it became clear where they’d been. They weren't just moved around randomly. They ended up in Kota district, Rajasthan. The intention was plain: selling them for marriage.
The names that popped up? Anurag Yadav , twenty-five. Mohammad Akhtar , thirty-two. And Priya Patel , who went by Sheila, twenty-three. They were arrested near Atroli crossing on June 3rd. That juvenile was caught too.
Priya told the investigators something interesting. She said she met a woman named Sonam in Raebareli back in 2020, during some wedding stuff. Sonam supposedly told her that pretty girls, even from poor families, could be married off in Rajasthan for money. And Priya was supposed to get paid for setting up those marriages.
Priya and Anurag had been living together in a rented place in Raebareli for maybe two years. Along with Mohammad Akhtar, they allegedly started scouting. They looked for girls who seemed financially weak or didn't have parental backing. The idea being that their families wouldn't complain if something went wrong.
The gang members supposedly befriended these girls. Little outings, new clothes—all the lure before they were taken.
Initially, they brought them to Raebareli. Gave them new outfits. Then, those photos got sent via WhatsApp to Sonam and her husband, Bhupendra Chaudhary, in Kota. That’s when the deal started moving.
Priya claimed she got paid for arranging each girl's marriage. The amounts mentioned were between one lakh and one point five lakh rupees per girl. It sounds obscene.
Police also found evidence that they had sent two sisters from Raebareli over to Sonam and Bhupendra earlier, setting up the groundwork.
In this specific case with the two minors? They allegedly used the juvenile relative of the victims to get them moved. Priya convinced the girls she was going to meet their mother, who had been gone for years. A desperate story, maybe.
The plan seemed to be: take them first to Raebareli, then coordinate sending them to Kota based on instructions from those Rajasthan associates. It’s a twisted kind of logistics.
They also found two four-wheelers that were allegedly used during this whole operation. Just the tools they used for moving things around.
The investigation is still going. They need to figure out who else was involved. Those Rajasthan contacts, what role they played. It’s just starting now.
Written by Gree News Team — Senior Editorial Board
Gree News Team covers international news and global affairs at Gree News. Our collective of senior editors is dedicated to providing independent, accurate, and responsible journalism for a global audience.
More from India
View All
Political Speculation and Internal Turmoil within the TMC
Fresh visuals surfaced of Sushmita Dev meeting Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. That kind of thing just kicks the speculation into high gear about her next move. It’s all about her potential entry into the BJP, right? This happened right after she stepped down from Rajya Sabha and walked ou
Jun 10, 2026 by Gree News Team
Threats and Intimidation Against Former Judge Justice Gautam Patel
Chief Justice Surya Kant stepped in on the matter involving threats and intimidation aimed at former Bombay High Court judge Justice Gautam Patel. This happened while he was visiting the UK, raising the issue with India’s High Commissioner there. It came out of a report by The Times of India. The wh
Jun 10, 2026 by Gree News Team
The Political Feud: Shivakumar vs. Kumaraswamy and the Vokkaliga Rivalry
A meeting that hasn't even happened is already sparking political sparring. Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy. It just underlines how bitter one of the state’s longest-running rivalries still is. Shivakumar was doing some outreach, a carefully choreographed exe
Jun 10, 2026 by Gree News Team
The Global Nuclear Arms Race: Spending, Capabilities, and Future Risks
Nearly eight decades since Hiroshima and Nagasaki. And the world’s nuclear powers aren't slowing down. They keep spending more, modernizing faster, and experts are watching them move weapons out of storage and into potential use. It’s a real arms race happening right now. The nine states that hold n
Jun 10, 2026 by Gree News Team
Latest Headlines
Political Speculation and Internal Turmoil within the TMC
Fresh visuals surfaced of Sushmita Dev meeting Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. That kind of thing just kicks the speculation into high gear about her next move. It’s all about her potential entry into the BJP, right? This happened right after she stepped down from Rajya Sabha and walked ou
Jun 10, 2026 by Gree News Team
FIFA World Cup 2026: Structure, Geography, and the Official Match Ball
The FIFA World Cup 2026 is really starting to feel imminent now. It’s heading toward North America the USA, Mexico, and Canada are slated to host this massive global spectacle. People are talking about it constantly. It’s not just a standard tournament anymore. This time around, they’re throwing way
Jun 10, 2026 by Gree News Team
Lionel Messi and Argentina's World Cup Journey in Group J
Argentina’s taking on Group J in this new setup USA, Mexico, and Canada it feels like more than just football now. It’s about that farewell, isn't it? Lionel Messi is chasing something special right now, playing out this final chapter with the Albiceleste against Algeria, Austria, and Jordan. There’
Jun 10, 2026 by Gree News Team
Federal Judge Bars Nitrogen Gas Execution in Alabama
A federal judge just slammed the door shut on Alabama’s plan to use nitrogen gas for executing Jeffery Lee. Permanently barred it, ruling the method violated basic constitutional rights about cruel and unusual punishment. This decision dropped like a stone. It came just one day after an appeals cour
Jun 10, 2026 by Gree News Team
Kerala Board Plus One Results 2026 Announcement and Checking Methods
The Kerala Board Plus One results for 2026 are finally coming today, June 10th. That’s when the Directorate of Higher Secondary Education will officially announce everything. Students who took the DHSE Kerala Class 11 exams in 2026 can start checking their scores now. You have a few places to look,
Jun 10, 2026 by Gree News Team
Threats and Intimidation Against Former Judge Justice Gautam Patel
Chief Justice Surya Kant stepped in on the matter involving threats and intimidation aimed at former Bombay High Court judge Justice Gautam Patel. This happened while he was visiting the UK, raising the issue with India’s High Commissioner there. It came out of a report by The Times of India. The wh
Jun 10, 2026 by Gree News Team
Intersection of Art, Politics, and Public Morality at Film Screening
The buzz around the screening for ‘Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata’ was definitely something special that Tuesday evening in Delhi. It wasn't just about watching a movie; it felt like a convergence a mix of film fans, some political heavyweights, and a surprising amount of high-level government presence. P
Jun 10, 2026 by Gree News Team
The Political Feud: Shivakumar vs. Kumaraswamy and the Vokkaliga Rivalry
A meeting that hasn't even happened is already sparking political sparring. Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy. It just underlines how bitter one of the state’s longest-running rivalries still is. Shivakumar was doing some outreach, a carefully choreographed exe
Jun 10, 2026 by Gree News Team
Protest and Political Standoff in Mexico City Before the World Cup
A protest choked off an avenue leading right to Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium for hours on Tuesday. It was just days before that massive World Cup opening match. As football fans started flooding in, all those co-hosts the US, Canada, and Mexico you see the real mess happening back home. Thousands of
Jun 10, 2026 by Gree News Team
The Global Nuclear Arms Race: Spending, Capabilities, and Future Risks
Nearly eight decades since Hiroshima and Nagasaki. And the world’s nuclear powers aren't slowing down. They keep spending more, modernizing faster, and experts are watching them move weapons out of storage and into potential use. It’s a real arms race happening right now. The nine states that hold n
Jun 10, 2026 by Gree News Team
The Chaos of Cinema: Volume, Competition, and the Shifting Market
The Friday arrived packed. June 12th. It wasn't just another day; it was a collision of cinema. Nine films, all hitting the screens at once. *Main Vaapas Aaunga*, Imtiaz Ali’s directorial effort. Then you had Kangana Ranaut’s *Bharat Bhhagya Vidhaata*. And the horror mixed in Vikram Bhatt’s *Haunted
Jun 10, 2026 by Gree News Team
Stock Market Updates: June 10th Performance and Sector Analysis
Stock market updates today, June 10th. Everything turned sour in late trading Wednesday. Domestic equity markets basically gave up all those gains they managed to hold during the day. Heavy selling hit midcap, smallcap stocks, plus metals, realty, and financial names dragging the main indices into n
Jun 10, 2026 by Gree News Team
Iran Football Team Travel and World Cup Arrangements
Iran’s football team is heading to Los Angeles, apparently. They announced Tuesday that they'll be flying there the day before their first group-stage game against New Zealand. It feels like a lot happening all at once. But where exactly will they be staying? They won't actually be in L.A. for long.
Jun 10, 2026 by Gree News Team
The Impact of Gen AI on Job Applications and Hiring Strategies
When you start looking for a job, everyone builds this whole structure: the résumé, that killer cover letter, tailoring it perfectly. The whole point was always that application could make you jump out from the crowd of hundreds of applicants. But honestly? Recruiters are starting to think that play
Jun 10, 2026 by Gree News Team
Narendra Modi's Milestone: India's Longest-Serving Prime Minister
Narendra Modi just hit a huge milestone. India’s longest-serving elected Prime Minister. Forty-three hundred ninety-nine days in office now. That beats Nehru's record, which was the first one. Former Vice President Venkaiah Naidu spoke about it. He praised the leadership and everything Modi has done
Jun 10, 2026 by Gree News Team