In a shocking revelation from Bihar’s Purnea district, a 6-year-old boy kidnapped from West Bengal was rescued from a nomad’s tent masquerading as a herbal medicine stall. The incident has sent ripples of horror through the region, exposing a dark underbelly of human trafficking hidden behind the facade of wandering performers and healers.
The child was playing near his home in Jalpaiguri’s Mal Bazaar area when a stranger lured him away. Within hours, the boy was transported across state lines to Bihar via bus. Frantic parents reported him missing, prompting a swift police response. CCTV footage captured the suspect leading the child away, leading to his arrest in just seven hours.
Interrogation revealed the kidnapper’s plan to sell the boy for 1.5 lakh rupees to Suresh Singh, a Uttar Pradesh native running a tented herbal medicine operation at Purnea’s Rangbhumi Maidan. Acting on the tip, Bengal police coordinated with Purnea authorities for a raid. There, they found the child sleeping beside Singh, who confessed to purchasing the boy with intentions to resell him at a higher price.
Singh, originally from Muzaffarnagar, UP, has been changing his statements to evade scrutiny. Authorities suspect deeper involvement in human trafficking networks exploiting the transient lifestyle of nomads who pitch tents in open fields across India, selling herbs and performing tricks without fixed addresses or known associates.
This bust follows a similar incident just a week ago at Purnea Medical College, where two children were stolen but recovered due to social media virality. Purnea police have launched widespread raids on similar nomadic setups, vowing to dismantle any trafficking rings. The child and primary accused are now in Bengal police custody, but the probe continues to uncover the full extent of this sinister trade.