By Jitendra M Parmar
Gopalgang, Bihar: In one of the largest crackdowns on Bihar’s orchestra network in recent times, over 40 minor girls were rescued from 15 orchestra groups during a nightlong operation in Bihar’s Gopalganj district, while 22 people were arrested for their involvement in trafficking and exploitation of children. The rescue operation was led by Additional Director General of Police (Weaker Section) Amit Kumar Jain, Gopalganj’s Superintendent of Police Vinay Tiwari and carried out jointly by officials of the Kuchaukot Police Station, Patna Police Headquarters, members of Association for Voluntary Action and Narayani Sewa Sansthan. Both Association for Voluntary Action and Narayani Sewa Sansthan are partners of Just Rights for Children, which is the country’s largest child protection network working with more than 250 NGOs across India. Following the rescue operation conducted late May 11 night, legal proceedings are underway while the girls are being counselled and shifted to safety.
The girls rescued during the operation were aged between 10 and 17 years. Preliminary investigation revealed that many of them had been trafficked from different parts of the country including West Bengal, Assam, Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.
Highlighting the deeply rooted nexus between traffickers and orchestra groups in the state, Manish Sharma, Senior Director of Association for Voluntary Action, said, “The operation has once again exposed the scale at which minor girls are being trafficked and pushed into orchestra groups operating in parts of Bihar. These children are lured into this highly exploitative network, sexually abused and exploited. We cannot just react. We must act now against this organized crime of trafficking and its nexus with orchestra groups. Perpetrators need to be punished severely and these children rehabilitated and compensated adequately and urgently. The system cannot fail these children once again with any kind of delay in justice.”
Notably, after a month-long surveillance operation, teams of Association for Voluntary Action and Narayani Sewa Sansthan discovered that these orchestra groups trafficked minor girls from neighbouring states during the wedding season and forced them to perform for hours on sexually explicit Bhojpuri songs during wedding celebrations.
During the first round of counselling after the rescue, several terrified girls revealed that they had either been sold by their so-called “boyfriends” or lured into the network with promises of money, fame and a better life. Some girls also stated that they were made to believe that continued association with these groups could eventually help them secure opportunities in the Bhojpuri film industry.
Emphasizing accountability and urgency, Ravi Kant, National Convenor of Just Rights for Children, said, “It is deeply disturbing that organized trafficking networks continue to operate through orchestra groups by targeting and exploiting children across states. This is not an isolated crime but a structured criminal ecosystem that thrives on demand, weak enforcement and the vulnerability of children. India has strong legal protections for children, and Bihar Police’s recent crackdowns reflect growing seriousness towards these crimes. However, there is an urgent need for sustained inter-state coordination, stricter monitoring of such networks during wedding seasons and stronger accountability mechanisms to dismantle these trafficking rackets permanently.”
