Two Bengal girls rescued after fleeing home over fake K-pop, modelling promises
Two minor girls from West Bengal's Malda district were rescued after being lured through social media with promises of becoming K-pop idols and models in
Two minor girls from West Bengal's Malda district were rescued after being lured through social media with promises of becoming K-pop idols and models in South Korea, police said on Thursday. The girls, both Class 6 students, had run away from home after falling prey to an online grooming scheme that police suspect may be linked to an organised trafficking or recruitment racket operating through social media platforms. Read Full Story According to investigators, the girls had been in contact for nearly a year with a person identifying herself as "Dighi Sarkar" through the social media platform Pinterest and another app. The accused gained their trust over time by promising them a career in South Korea's entertainment industry.
Police said the girls were encouraged to learn the Korean language and culture and were added to an online group named "Demons", where they received instructions, travel-related information and location details. They were reportedly convinced to leave home without informing their families and were told they would first travel to Bhutan before being taken to South Korea for training as K-pop idols and models. The families alerted the police after the girls went missing. During the investigation, officers found that both the minors had boarded a bus to Siliguri and were expected to meet unidentified individuals at the Tenzing Norgay Bus Terminus. Acting on the information, police launched a search operation, checking buses in the Naukaghat area.
The girls were eventually traced aboard a bus, rescued safely and brought to the police station before they could move further towards the international border. Police said an NGO also assisted in intercepting the minors before they could leave India and were reunited with their families. Police said they are now investigating the identities of those who contacted the girls online and whether the case is part of a larger network targeting minors with false promises of overseas modelling and entertainment careers. Following the rescue, BJP leader and former English Bazar MLA Sreerupa Mitra Chaudhury visited the police station and met the girls.
She lauded the prompt action of the police, saying the timely intervention had averted what could have been a major tragedy, while adding that it would not be appropriate to comment further as the investigation was still underway. Investigators are now examining the digital trail left by the suspects, including the social media accounts and online groups used to communicate with the girls, to determine the scale of the operation and identify those behind it. Ends
The BriefWire