PURNEA, June 24 -- Multiple cases of human trafficking of women in the name of marriage have come to fore in the districts along the India-Nepal border in Bihar's Seemanchal region. Women were tricked into marriage and then sold to "customers" in distant places, officials and social workers have pointed out. Seemanchal comprises four districts of Purnea, Katihar, Araria and Kishanganj. Since January this year, at least six cases have been reported whereas a host of such cases remain unreported out of social stigma. A 25-year old woman, mother of two children, was allegedly sold to a man in Gujarat. The woman who somehow managed to return home in Purnea told police that she was sold to a man named Ramesh in Gujarat for Rs.2 lakh. Police registered a case on June 13 against three women, who are relatives of the victim, and three men-Mukesh, Sanjay, and Ramesh, a resident of Gujarat-who allegedly purchased her. The case has been filed under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) related to human trafficking and kidnapping a woman to compel her marriage. Further investigation is underway. Dhamdaha Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Sandeep Goldy told media persons that prima facie, it appears to be a case of trafficking for marriage and police have launched a manhunt to arrest all those who were involved in it. He said, "Police have arrested one woman closely related to the victim and further probe is underway." In another incident reported from a remote village falling under Dagarua police station in Purnea, three minor girls (aged between 12 and 15) were allegedly abducted by their relatives with the help of a local 25-year-old youth in the first week of June. Parents of the girls fear they would be sold. "We have lodged an FIR at Dagarua police station," upset family members said. Trainee Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Divya Kumari who is holding the charge of Station House Officer (SHO) of Dagarua police station, however, ruled out human trafficking case and said, "The minor children are related to the 30-year-old woman with whom they escaped from home," adding "Police are looking into case seriously and soon they would be brought back." People familiar with the matter said that one of the three girls was married. In April, Purnea police rescued a 21-year-old woman who had allegedly been sold to a big businessman for Rs.2 lakh a year ago. In February this year, a 30-year-old woman who was deserted by her husband in Katihar was allegedly sold to the human trafficking racket for Rs.80,000 with a promise she would get married but luckily the police rescued her within a few hours. In the same month (February) a six-year-old boy who was trafficked from West Bengal was rescued in Purnea. The boy was to be sold to a native of UP in Purnea for Rs.1.50 lakh. In January this year, a boy who was trapped in a human trafficking racket got reunited with his 55-year-old mother in Araria after 13 years. The above examples are just a tip of the iceberg as many cases remain unreported out of social stigma. Such cases are aplenty in Bihar's Seemanchal region comprising Purnea, Araria, Kishanganj and Katihar- a major transit route for human trafficking with local networks involving women targeting vulnerable women and minor children especially girls. "It is shocking that the women have become active members of the human trafficking network for the last few years," a senior police officer told HT, explaining modus operandi, "The girls are first trapped in the name of opulent lifestyle and once marriage is solemnised they are sold in brothels." "Human trafficking is thriving out of growing lust for money and where money starts speaking, everything becomes silent," Prof N K Srivasatava of Purnea University (PU) said, expressing shock over the women becoming part of the human trafficking racket. "Seemanchal has been a major source of human trafficking especially child trafficking," said Sumit Prakash, chairperson Child Welfare Committee (CWC) Purnea. He stressed the need for spreading awareness programmes in rural areas. He said, "During the last six months over two dozen minor children have been rescued and rehabilitated in Seemanchal's Purnea district only....