A girl of Sundargarh, who had been trafficked to New Delhi a decade ago and separated from her parents, has been rescued from the national capital recently and handed over to her family.
Sources said Asha was residing with her mother and sister at lohardipa under the Town police station here. When Asha was 17 years old, a woman, Anik Pal, had asked her mother Fulmati in 2007 to let her go with her to New Delhi to work there, but she had refused bluntly.
But Anik Pal had discreetly taken Asha to Delhi and handed her over to a maid recruiting agency. The agency engaged her in an old man’s house. Asha had been working as a domestic help and residing in the house of her employer. She got food and accommodation in return for her work.
The recruiting agency had told Asha that her monthly salary would be sent to her parents but never sent the money promised. However, Asha’s employer sacked her from the job on November 1, 2016. After losing her job, Asha went to the recruiting agency but it had downed the shutters, the sources said.
Since she had not much idea about New Delhi, she stood helplessly near the traffic square at Janakpuri. Some activists of voluntary organisation Meena Pariwar noticed Asha and inquired about her in detail. When they came to know her plight, they took her to their office.
Following this, Meena Pariwar president Minakhi Malhotra along with some other volunteers and Asha reached Sundargarh recently.
After reaching Sundargarh, they contacted the office of Sundargarh district PRO. After contacting some mediapersons, they began a search for Asha’s family.
Asha’s elder sister Pinky was located who after getting married was residing with her family at Rani Bagicha in Sundargarh. Asha was taken to meet Pinky, who immediately recognised her and was overwhelmed with emotion.
later, Pinky along with Asha and the volunteers of the Meena Pariwar went to meet their mother Fulmati. After seeing Asha after 10 long years, Fulmati cried in joy. The family has thanked the efforts of the Meena Pariwar.