India needs Bahrain’s help to track trafficking victims

Indian police have reached a roadblock in the investigation of a human trafficking case and is now appealing to their Bahrain counterparts for help.

DT had earlier reported that an Indian couple based in Bahrain, suspected of trafficking women into the kingdom to be forced into the flesh trade, have been arrested in Mumbai.

Abdul Nissar and his wife Shajitha were arrested from the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai.

They acted as intermediaries in the sex racket and recruited girls through online means, promising them jobs in Bahrain.

After reaching Bahrain, they were threatened and coerced to become prostitutes. India’s Anti Terror Squad (ATS) arrested the couple while they were trying to escape to Chennai, Tamil Nadu, towards the south of India. Abdul Nissar was the major link in sex racket that trafficked women into Bahrain.

It was earlier reported that two other suspects who are part of the same gang, Joyce and Joshi, had trafficked 63 young women to Bahrain with 18 months.

Police investigations revealed that the women were trafficked with help from officials at various airports in India.

However now the Indian police can only proceed further if Bahrain helps identify trapped victims in the kingdom.

India’s probe team has convened a discussion at the diplomatic level with the Bahrain government for this that is believed to help them proceed with the investigation, sources said. 

The non-cooperation of some victims is also affecting the probe. 

Several victims are reluctant to reveal details as it would wreck their life and some are happy with the job and these aspects affect the probe, a senior Indian police officer said.

But the investigation will be intensified, he assured.

Sources said the verification and evidence collection were progressing with the persons in custody.

The interrogation is on and the couple had taken several women from the state to Bahrain for the purpose, the source told Indian media.

As per the statements from the victims, they were harassed physically and mentally after being locked in rooms of apartments if they showed dissent.