Surat: A disturbing case of child trafficking has come to light in the Limbayat area, where a 14-year-old girl was allegedly sold twice for marriage in the past five months. Limbayat police have arrested three accused, including Noori Shaikh, her husband, Wasim in connection with the case.

During the interrogation of the accused, it was revealed that they forced the minor into two marriages, first to a man from Laskana for Rs 50,000 and later to another from Solapur, Maharashtra, for Rs 2 lakh. The trio was caught on Friday before they could sell her for a third time.

Police revealed that five months ago, Noori and Farzana kidnapped the girl, who often accompanied her mother to catering jobs, and sold her to a Laskana resident, Shoaib. After being sexually assaulted for two days, she was sent home. Ten days later, Farzana abducted her again and took her to Solapur, where she was handed over to another man who allegedly assaulted her repeatedly for 10 days before sending her back.

Later, when the accused planned to sell the girl once more, the family sought help from community leaders, and the police were alerted.

The arrested trio, along with two absconding men who married the child, have been booked under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the POCSO Act for child trafficking, abduction, rape, molestation, and criminal conspiracy. DeshGujarat