Bride Bazaar: Inside India's Infamous Market Where Girls Are Sold Online at Cheap Prices
A disturbing new story has emerged from Hyderabad's infamous "Bride Bazaar," causing a nationwide uproar. In this market, marriages are no longer taking place in traditional venues like hotels or halls but are being arranged through WhatsApp. The grooms, mostly wealthy businessmen from Oman, Qatar, and Bahrain, pay large sums of money to marry young girls. Previously, such marriages were arranged through acquaintances or face-to-face meetings, but due to time constraints, people have now turned to online platforms
The Expansion of Illegal Activities
Recent revelations by police and social activists have uncovered that this illegal racket has now gone digital, actively operating on online platforms. Once confined to limited, hidden circles, these activities are now spreading rapidly through the internet. Using social media, dating sites, and other online platforms, these traffickers easily target girls and their families, worsening an already severe problem and creating new social challenges.
The Horrifying Truth of Exploitation
These marriages through the "Bride Bazaar" are not just fraudulent, but often lead to sexual exploitation. The girls are sent to their so-called husbands on tourist visas, where they face brutal abuse. Once they arrive, they are confronted with the grim reality that they have been deceived. Promised a better life, they find themselves in situations with no security or respect, trapped in a cycle of exploitation.
Targeting the Vulnerable
The primary targets of this racket are girls from poor and marginalized communities. They are lured with promises of a better life, wealth, and luxury. With false dreams, they are coerced into marriage, only to be sold to wealthy individuals. In this process, their identities and rights are completely violated. This not only devastates these girls' lives but also poses a severe threat to society, exposing the grim realities of human trafficking in modern times.
