Three Nepali women rescued from Kolkata’s Sonagachi in alleged trafficking racket

Three Nepali women were rescued from Kolkata’s Sonagachi red-light area after detectives from the city police allegedly uncovered a trafficking racket that lured women with fake job promises. A woman identified as Shobha Tamang was arrested in connection with the case after a raid conducted by the detective department on Sunday evening. Police suspect the women were brought from Nepal to Kolkata under the pretext of employment before being forced into prostitution.

According to investigators, the arrested woman allegedly managed a building in Sonagachi where several Nepali sex workers stayed. Police believe traffickers used that network to transport the three young women from Nepal into West Bengal. After arriving in Kolkata, the women were allegedly confined inside the premises in the red-light district. Detectives identified the building during the operation and rescued the women during the search.

Police sources said the raid was conducted after Lalbazar detectives received specific information regarding trafficking activities operating from the area. Following the rescue, the women were taken into protective custody and arrangements were made for their safety and assistance. Investigators also contacted the Nepal Embassy as part of the ongoing probe into the cross-border trafficking allegations.

Investigators are now trying to determine which areas in Nepal the women came from, who arranged their travel and how the alleged job offers were communicated to them. Police suspect members of a larger trafficking network may be targeting vulnerable women in Nepal with promises of employment before transporting them to Kolkata through organised contacts. Officials are also examining whether the network has links beyond West Bengal.

The latest case comes months after another trafficking racket was allegedly uncovered in the Burtolla police station area, where police rescued 11 people, including nine minors, from a house. Detectives are now questioning the arrested woman to identify additional members of the alleged trafficking network and trace others who may have been involved in bringing the women across the border into Kolkata.