Fifty-six young women were rescued and two persons arrested from a train at the New Jalpaiguri station in Siliguri, officials said.

The women, aged between 18 and 31, were rescued from the New Jalpaiguri-Patna Capital Express late on Monday, they said.

The women hailed from the Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar, and Alipurduar districts of West Bengal, and were allegedly lured with false promises of employment at a Bengaluru-based company. However, they were being sent to Bihar by train, officials said.

None of the women had valid tickets, and only coach and berth numbers were stamped on their hands, they said.

During routine check of the train, RPF personnel became suspicious upon seeing so many young women travelling together, and subsequent questioning revealed glaring inconsistencies, they said.

A man and a woman were arrested at the spot after they gave contradictory statements, failing to clarify why the women were being sent to Bihar when they had been promised jobs in Bengaluru, officials said.

They also failed to produce any documents confirming job offers or legitimate reasons for the travel, they said.

The GRP and RPF are jointly probing the case, especially the human trafficking angle, they added.

The girls were handed over to their families, officials said.

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