Hyderabad Police crack wedding racket; Arab nationals among arrested

In a major breakthrough, the South Zone police here have arrested 20 culprits including five Omani and three Qatar nationals, three Qazis including a chief Qazi from Mumbai, five brokers and four hotel owners in connection with child marriages to Arab nationals.

After an incident of wedlock of a fake Omani Shiek with a minor girl here on 17 August and her subsequent abduction to Oman, the police succeeded in digging deep into the network of criminals involved in the trade. 

Presenting the accused before the media, Hyderabad Police Commissioner Mahender Reddy said that as many as 15 brokers from Gulf countries have been identified who have were involved in fixing matches of young local girls with Sheiks.

“Many of them have married local girls to penetrate deep into the local community. The girls who get married with the help of these brokers end up in the hands of many people in that country,” he added. Police also identified 35 local brokers who have a list of girls ready for marriage with rich sheiks.

On Wednesday the police declared arrest of Al Mayahi Habib Ali, Al Salehi Talib Humeid, Al Ubaidani Juma, Al Salehi Nasser Khalif Hamed and Al Qasini Hassan of Oman and Omer Mohammed Seraj, Hamid Jabir and Safeldin Mohammed of Qatar and Farid Ahmad Khan, chief Qazi from Mumbai.

The police with the help of information gathered from the accused have raided several hotels including FK Plaza, Ghalib Residency, MJ Anas Guest House and Wincity Developer and Hotels in Chandrayangutta and caught Ali Issa red-handed who was ready to marry a 15-year girl.  Owners of these hotels have been arrested.

The police have also opened suspect sheets against 48 persons and geotagged suspected hotels and guest houses linking with mobile police parties.

The police are planning face to face programmes of the victims with the officials of Minority welfare department to put a tab on the heinous crime.