On February 9, a court in Chikkaballapur gave seven years of rigorous imprisonment to three women for human trafficking and prostitution. The case began in March 2022 when police investigated after a 19-year-old girl went missing. The prime accused lured the financially struggling teenager, who was also a child marriage victim, by offering her a job at a Bengaluru beauty parlour. The girl was taken from Chikkaballapur to Bengaluru, then to Delhi, where she was locked in a room and forced into prostitution. Police found out the accused sold her for ₹3 lakh. Other women were also trafficked to the same place. After two months, the girl escaped and returned home. She filed a complaint in June 2022 at the Women Police Station. The court convicted Venkataramanamma, sentencing her to seven years’ rigorous imprisonment and a ₹7,000 fine. Lakshmi Narasamma and Sharada also received seven years’ imprisonment with fines of ₹10,000 and ₹15,000, respectively. Other accused were found guilty under relevant sections. Superintendent of Police Kushal Chowksi, IPS, supervised the investigation. Special Public Prosecutor Zahida Banu D.K. led the prosecution.