Gajapati Police dismantled an interstate human trafficking racket and rescued seven female victims, including six minors, during a joint operation with Hyderabad Police.
The raid led to the arrest of Iswar Kusulia of Rayagada and Chandra alias Sarita Jain alias Saritha Lunawat, who allegedly sold victims for ₹70,000 each.
The case, registered under Adava P.S. Case No. 149/2026, followed a complaint from a man whose sister went missing on June 21. The victim later revealed that Kusulia lured her and a friend with false job promises, took them to Hyderabad, and sold them to Lunawat. The victims said they were confined, tortured, and forced into immoral activities.
Investigators discovered that several other girls had been trafficked similarly, exposing a well‑organized network operating across states. Acting on credible intelligence, a team led by SDPO R. Udayagiri Rakesh Sahoo, IPS, raided Lunawat’s premises in Hyderabad and rescued the victims.
Both accused were produced before court and sent to 14‑day judicial custody. Police continue to trace other members of the trafficking ring, verify criminal backgrounds, and collect digital and documentary evidence.
Sahoo stated that Gajapati Police remain committed to combating human trafficking and ensuring rehabilitation for survivors. Authorities urged citizens to stay alert to false job offers and report suspicious activities to the nearest police station or Dial‑112.
