New Delhi, Aug 31: A 16-year-old girl was gang-raped inside an empty sleeper bus by its driver and conductor in Greater Noida earlier this month, police said on Monday, adding that both accused have been arrested in connection with the case.

According to police, the incident took place near Pari Chowk on August 4. The survivor alleged in her complaint that the two accused sexually assaulted her and threatened to kill her if she resisted. They later abandoned her near Kashmere Gate in Delhi.

The accused, identified as driver Kuldeep and conductor Sandeep, were arrested from a parking area in Timarpur on the same day.

Police have seized the bus and sent it for forensic examination. Investigators have also collected CCTV footage from the route taken by the bus as part of the probe. Police said the footage is being examined to establish the sequence of events and trace the movements of the vehicle.

The teenager is a resident of Mainpuri in Uttar Pradesh. Police said she had left her home without informing her family after her mother reprimanded her over her studies. She was travelling to Noida Sector 63, where her cousin lives.

According to the girl’s statement to police, she mistakenly got down at Pari Chowk amid heavy rain and darkness. After realising that she had reached the wrong location, she tried to find another vehicle and eventually stopped the sleeper bus. Police said there were no passengers inside the bus at the time.

The conductor allegedly told the girl that the bus was heading towards NoidaSector 63, following which she boarded the vehicle. Police said the bus was actually returning empty after undergoing repairs at a workshop in Surajpur.

The girl alleged that soon after the bus began moving, the conductor started behaving inappropriately towards her. She further alleged that both men then sexually assaulted her and threatened to kill her if she resisted.

After the assault, the two accused abandoned the girl near Ring Road in Delhi’s Kashmere Gate and fled from the spot. She subsequently approached the police and reported the incident, following which an investigation was launched.

Kuldeep and Sandeep have been booked under charges relating to gang rape, kidnapping and assault.

Police said the sleeper bus had curtains covering the individual berths, which may have provided privacy inside the vehicle during the alleged crime.

As part of the forensic investigation, teams recovered strands of the girl’s hair from inside the bus. The vehicle has been seized, and forensic examination is being conducted to collect further evidence that could support the investigation.

Kolkata, Aug 31: At least nine people were arrested in a police operation at a resort in Lataguri in West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri district for running a sex racket, said the police on Monday.

Among them were five youths, three women and a resort employee. It is learnt that three women were from north Bengal’s Siliguri and the five youths hailed from Assam. The arrested will be produced before a Jalpaiguri court later in the day, an officer from Malbazar police station said.

Malbazar police station Inspector-in-Charge (IC) Paljar Bhutia said that illegal activities will not be tolerated in any resort in Lataguri. “We have arrested several people. We are investigating which other resorts are hosting such illegal activities,” said the officer.

The operation was led by Malbazar Subdistrict Police Officer Sudipta Sarkar, Malbazar police station Inspector-in-Charge Paljar Bhutia and Kranti outpost Officer-in-Charge Tenzing Bhutia.

While conducting a raid at a resort near Saraswati Banbasti in Lataguri late on Sunday night, the police found three women and five youths in an objectionable condition. A resort employee was also arrested.

During the initial investigation, the police found that the three women arrested from the resort lived in Siliguri. It is said that one of them is from Haryana and the other are from Uttar Dinajpur district. They had been living in Siliguri for the past few years. It is alleged that the racket was being run through a youth from Lataguri. He, however, fled after receiving the news of the raid. The police have started searching for him.

On receiving information through sources, the police conducted the raid at the resort, the officials said.

This is not the first time that a sex racket has been busted in the tourist town of Lataguri. According to Malbazar police sources, there have been complaints of racketeers operating in several resorts in Lataguri for a long time. Based on that information, the latest operation was successful.

New Delhi, Aug 31: The Delhi Police on Monday busted a human trafficking network involved in forcing women into prostitution at a brothel on GB Road, arresting three women and rescuing two victims.

According to the police, the two women were rescued from Kotha No. 58, GB Road, in two separate cases. The victims were lured on the pretext of employment and subsequently forced into prostitution.

In one case, a 26-year-old married woman and mother of three children was brought from West Bengal to Delhi after being promised employment and was subsequently sold to a caretaker of the brothel.

In the second case, a 28-year-old woman was threatened with harm to her eight-year-old son if she refused to engage in prostitution.

Police said separate cases have been registered under Sections 137(2), 143(2), 144(1), 64(2), 61 and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 3, 5 and 6 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act (ITP Act).

The first case came to light on August 26, when a 60-year-old woman approached the Women Police Post and reported that her 26-year-old daughter had been missing from West Bengal since May 2.

Police said the victim ‘R’ contacted her mother on August 25 and informed her that she was allegedly confined at Kotha No. 58, GB Road, and sought help for her rescue.

Acting on the information, SI Kiran Sethi, In-charge of the Anti-Human Trafficking/Women Police Post, along with Women Constables Komal and Rashmi, reached the premises and rescued the woman.

During the enquiry, the victim told police that on May 2, while she was at a railway station in West Bengal, a man identified as Kalu, aged around 30 lured her on the pretext of arranging employment and brought her to Delhi.

He took possession of her mobile phone and subsequently sold her to Geeta, who was working as a caretaker of the brothel.

According to the police, Geeta kept the victim at her residence for around a month before taking her to Kotha No. 58, GB Road. She was handed over to Reshma, the alleged owner of the brothel, who forced her into prostitution.

The victim further alleged that the money earned by her was retained by Geeta and caretaker Manju.

During the enquiry, another woman, identified as ‘J’, aged 28, approached the Women Police Post seeking assistance and was also rescued from the same premises.

According to her statement, around two years ago, following a quarrel with her husband and mother-in-law in West Bengal, she left her home along with her eight-year-old son.

While travelling towards Sealdah Railway Station, a woman gained her confidence by offering food and drinks to her son. The woman subsequently took them to her residence on the pretext of helping them.

The following day, the woman brought ‘J’ and her son to New Delhi Railway Station and thereafter took them by autorickshaw to Geeta’s residence. On the next day, Geeta allegedly took them to Kotha No. 58, GB Road.

Police said ‘J’ was promised employment involving sweeping and mopping work but was subsequently forced into prostitution.

She further said that she was threatened with harm to her son if she refused to comply. The money earned by her was allegedly retained by Geeta and Manju.

According to her statement, her son was subsequently taken to a hostel by Paro, another caretaker, and she was allowed to meet him only once every three to four months.

Police said efforts are underway to trace and recover the eight-year-old boy.

Both victims were medically examined at Lok Nayak Hospital and provided counselling. Their statements were also recorded, police said.

In the case pertaining to victim ‘R,’ Geeta and Manju were arrested.

In the case pertaining to victim ‘J’, the accused have been identified as Geeta, a 55-year-old resident of GB Road and permanent resident of West Bengal; Manju, a 58-year-old resident of GB Road and permanent resident of West Bengal; and Paro Khatoon, a 29-year-old resident of GB Road and permanent resident of West Bengal. All three allegedly worked as caretakers/pimps at the brothel.

Police said Rs 55,000 in cash was recovered from the brothel premises. Tokens, a register and an electricity bill were also recovered.

During interrogation, the victims reiterated that they had been brought to Delhi on the promise of employment and subsequently forced into prostitution.

Police said further interrogation and investigation are underway to identify the remaining persons allegedly involved in the trafficking network and ascertain their individual roles.

The investigation also revealed that Reshma, Manju and Geeta had been involved in a similar human trafficking and exploitation case registered at PS Kamla Market in 2025.

According to police, they are presently out on court bail in connection with FIR No. 139/25 of PS Kamla Market, pertaining to human trafficking.

Further investigation is underway to apprehend the remaining co-accused persons, trace the missing child and ascertain the extent of the trafficking and exploitation network.