Human traffickers now prey on school girls through social media

(PTI) New Delhi, Dt

In Corona's time, there has been an eye-opening case for minors and their parents, who are constantly on social media, in six West Bengal parishes. Human trafficking gangs have now started preying on minors through social media.

Schools have been closed for a year and a half due to the Corona epidemic and online study at home has also declined, so 18-year-old Shahida (name has been changed) started spending more time on social media. Soon on social media, Sagira came in contact with a 6-year-old Adil. Adil contacted him on a social media site. He befriended Sagira and got all her details.

Shahida's father lost his job during the lockdown and his family was going through financial difficulties. Knowing these details, Adil proposed marriage to her, tempting her to go to a better school and lead a happy and prosperous life. Shahida got into his conversation and got ready to marry him.

However, at the end of May, when Adil and Shahida were getting married in West Bengal's 9 Parganas district, the representatives of the Village Child Protection Committee stopped the marriage and saved Shahida from becoming a victim of human trafficking. Rita Paramik, who works with Save the Child, says human traffickers have changed their modus operandi in recent times. Now they are active on social media. They lure minors into a happy and prosperous life and even marry them. Social media has become a major platform for human traffickers to lure minors and minors.