Two minor girls allegedly sold by their poverty-stricken parents in Uttar Pradesh’s Kaushambi district were gang-raped by their buyers and their friends, the victims have said after escaping from the clutches of their tormentors.

Police have registered two cases against the parents and the buyers on the charges of human trafficking, abduction and gang rape but no arrests have been made yet.

The aunt of one of the victims told the media that her 13-year-old niece came to her house in Manjhanpur last week after remaining missing for several days.

“I took her to her parents, but they refused to accept her and said they had sold her to Karmveer Yadav from Etah for ₹5 lakh. We went to the police after that,” the aunt told reporters and accused the police of inaction.

The victim told the police that Yadav was brought to their house by Kamlesh Pasi, who used to visit her family frequently from neighbouring Bihrozpur village.

“I fell asleep after dinner as my parents had mixed some intoxicant with my food. The next morning, I woke up and found myself in the house of Yadav in Etah. He and his friends raped me for several days. I somehow ran away from there and reached my aunt’s house,” the 13-year-old was quoted as telling the police.

Police sources said the girl’s father had confessed that he had accepted ₹5 lakh from Yadav.

Two weeks ago, another girl aged 14 had managed to give her abductors the slip and reached her aunt’s house in Kaushambi from Panipat. Police sources said her parents had sold her to Sandeep Tyagi, 50, from Panipat for ₹3 lakh.