15 minor girls rescued from orchestra racket, 7 arrested
Babushahi Bureau
Saran (Bihar), February 13, 2026: In a major overnight operation, authorities rescued 15 minor girls from six orchestra groups allegedly operating an exploitation racket within a 10-kilometre radius in Bihar’s Saran district. Seven persons have been arrested in connection with the case.
The five-hour joint crackdown was conducted after midnight by Bihar Police, the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU), and NGOs including Association for Voluntary Action and Narayani Seva Sansthan, both partners of Just Rights for Children—a nationwide child protection network with over 250 partner organisations.
The operation was carried out under the direction of Dr. Amit Kumar Jain, ADG (Weaker Section), CID, Bihar Police Headquarters, and on the orders of the SSP, Saran.
Officials said 12 girls were rescued directly from orchestra premises. However, during the raid on Khushi Orchestra, the owner allegedly forced three girls into a vehicle and attempted to escape. After an eight-kilometre chase, police intercepted the car, rescued the minors, and arrested the accused.
Five of the six orchestra owners have been taken into custody, and one vehicle used in the attempted escape has been seized.
According to the FIR, the rescued girls—trafficked from Punjab, Odisha, Assam, West Bengal, and Uttar Pradesh—were forced to perform late at night to obscene songs and were denied full payment. They also alleged physical violence, verbal abuse, and sexual exploitation.
Officials noted that most of the minors bore visible injury marks, reflecting sustained abuse. The orchestra groups raided include Kajal Orchestra, Sur Sangam Orchestra, Kopa Chatti Orchestra, Khushi Orchestra, Shyam Orchestra, and Diya Orchestra.
All rescued girls were produced before the Child Welfare Committee and have been shifted to Child Care Institutions for counselling and rehabilitation.
Police have registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2015, and the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act 1976 against seven accused persons.