K-Pop Dream Dashed: Bengal Minors Rescued from Traffickers

Two minor girls from West Bengal's Malda district have been safely rescued after an elaborate online grooming scheme promised them careers as K-pop idols and models in South Korea. The girls, both sixth graders, were contacted for approximately a year via social media by an individual identifying as 'Dighi Sarkar'. This individual cultivated their trust by offering opportunities in South Korea's entertainment industry and adding them to an online group named 'Demons'.

Instructions, travel details, and location information were provided to the minors, who were persuaded to leave their homes without notifying their families. Their intended route involved traveling to Bhutan before proceeding to South Korea for training. Upon being alerted by the families, the police initiated a search and successfully intercepted the girls on a bus in the Naukaghat area, preventing their departure towards the international border.

The operation, which also received assistance from an NGO, ensured the minors were returned safely and reunited with their families. Investigators are now examining the digital footprint left by the suspects, including social media accounts and online groups, to identify the individuals involved and ascertain if this case is part of a larger trafficking network targeting minors with false overseas career promises.