Bengaluru: Police have arrested 16 members of a gang that was involved in smuggling children to US. The arrested members were believed to have smuggled 32 children to US using fake parents and forged documents. The gang, including three women, were arrested during raids across the city.
The gang allegedly obtained US visa for children using fake parents and papers. The couples would take the kids to the US and return in a few days leaving them behind. The arrests were a culmination of a year-long probe that began with a tip off to the police.
During initial interrogation, the kingpin, Uday Prathap Singh, 44, claimed they were facilitating illegal immigrants living in the US to take their children there. Police are not ready to believe his claims and are probing further to explore any involvement of child trafficking gangs or organ harvesters. Police are yet to know the whereabouts of the smuggled children.
Police officers said there would be more arrests since it is unlikely that the same couple would have travelled several times to smuggle out so many children.
Officials at the US Consulate General, Chennai, said they are working closely with police in the investigation. "We take seriously all allegations of fraudulent visa applications and we are working with Bengaluru authorities regarding this alleged human smuggling ring," said the spokesperson of US Consulate General.
