Whilst we sit in the air-conditioned comfort of metropolitan and write books & blogs cheering the rise of Indian women, a new type of flesh trade is flourishing. In Bihar, underage girls from neighbouring states and traded like commodities and turned in celebrity dancers (with millions of followers) on Instagram. The Print’s Sagrika Kissu wrote this engrossing piece after witnessing this industry up close in the infamous town of Siwan in Bihar.
Ms Kissu uses a case study to explain the modus operandi of this industry: “Five heavily built, muscular men wait as Chanda Devi opens the metal lock guarding a wooden door. As the door gives way, a 17-year-old in a brown night suit appears out of the shadows. The male constables are caught in disbelief. “I’ve seen her on social media,” says one.
The girl, a local sensation in Siwan, is swept away by the women constables, along with three other minors. They are led to a police van waiting to take them to a rescue home.
The 17-year-old’s dance performances amassed lakhs of views on social media. And she is, by far, the most sought-after underage dancer in Siwan, and the highest paid too.
Yet, behind the glittering façade of neon lights, rapturous applause, and sequined costumes lies a grim truth: the girl is ‘owned’.
Her ‘owner’ Chanda Devi was reluctant to hand over the keys of the room to the lady constable. Afraid the girl might run away, Devi had imprisoned her, like a prized possession. The fear took hold after one of Devi’s star dancers fled last month in the dead of night. Since then, she has been imprisoning the ‘talent’ in dingy, windowless rooms.
The spell broke on the intervening night of 21 and 22 November, when local police, along with members of the NGOs Mission Mukti Foundation, Mumbai-based Rescue Foundation and Kolkata-based Rescue and Relief Foundation stormed into Devi’s rented accommodation. Devi admitted she had been housing underage orchestra dancers….
These minor girls, mostly from Bengal, Jharkhand, and Nepal, are brought to Bihar to perform provocative dances at weddings, birthdays, and even during Shradhs (a 15-day period in the Hindu lunar calendar to honour one’s ancestors)….
“These minor girls are made to do vulgar dance and in most cases, are also the victims of gang rape, harassment and objectification by drunk men. They are mostly from impoverished families and fall easily into the trap of traffickers who offer them financial stability and fame,” said Virender Kumar Singh, director, Mission Mukti Foundation.”
Interestingly, whilst you & I might believe that all of this cannot possibly be legal, the kingpins of this industry are actually using ‘contracts’ and cleverly thought through abuse of the India Stack to make their sordid operation work smoothly: “For instance, the 17-year-old rescued in the early hours of Friday was brought to Siwan from West Bengal’s Siliguri three years ago. She was made to sign a contract which said that if she tried to escape, her family would have to pay Rs 80,000 to Chanda Devi.
It also stated that the minor would work as a dancer for ‘Sangeet Orchestra’ and be paid Rs 2,000 per performance. “If I am not available for dance without any reason and if I go to a different orchestra party, I will be liable to pay Rs 80,000 to the owner,” read one clause.
In a separate contract, traffickers changed the identity of a minor girl from Hindu to Muslim. They also got a fake Aadhar card to make it difficult for her family or the police to trace her.”
If you want to read our other published material, please visit https://marcellus.in/blog/
Note: The above material is neither investment research, nor financial advice. Marcellus does not seek payment for or business from this publication in any shape or form. The information provided is intended for educational purposes only. Marcellus Investment Managers is regulated by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and is also an FME (Non-Retail) with the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) as a provider of Portfolio Management Services. Additionally, Marcellus is also registered with US Securities and Exchange Commission (“US SEC”) as an Investment Advisor.
