The Railway Protection Force (RPF) of Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) rescued 18 persons from various stations in different operations conducted recently.
The RPF personnel also apprehended one person for alleged involvement in human trafficking.
In one such incident on July 20, 2021, RPF and Quick Response Team (QRT) staff of Rangiya conducted checking at Rangiya Railway Station and rescued 15 persons including 5 males and 10 females, residents of Bindukuri area of Assam’s Sonitpur from trafficking, the NF Railway informed.
During the checking, the RPF team also apprehended one female trafficker, a resident of Dekasuburi village under Tezpur police station in Sonitpur district for alleged involvement in human trafficking, the NF Railway said in a statement.
“The apprehended woman induced and promised them to offer job somewhere in Mumbai. During further interrogation, she revealed that all the members of the rescued group were paid Rs 2,000 each as advance with journey tickets for Mumbai by the apprehended woman,” the statement said.
Later, the apprehended woman along with the rescued persons was handed over to OC/GRPS/Rangiya for further necessary action.
On the same day, RPF personnel of RPF Post, New Coochbehar jointly with Meri Saheli team conducted routine checking at New Coochbehar Railway Station and rescued two runaway minor girls of Toofanganj area of Coochbehar (West Bengal).
Later, the rescued girls were handed over to the Chairperson/CWC/Coochbehar for safe custody and further necessary action.
Again on that day, an RPF team of RPF Post, Guwahati while conducting checking at Guwahati Railway Station rescued one runway minor boy, a resident of Morigaon in Assam.
The boy fled from home for being scolded by his parents.
“He was unable to give any contact number of his parents/relatives. As such, the rescued boy was handed over to Railway Childline, Guwahati for safe custody and further course of action,” the NFR said.
The RPF of NF Railway successfully rescued as many as 228 persons including minor children from trains and stations from January to December 2020 out of whom 17 persons were rescued from being trafficked and 211 other persons (other than trafficking) were also rescued.
This year up to July 21, the RPF personnel have rescued 272 persons including minor children.
Of the total rescued persons this year, 53 persons were rescued from being trafficked and 219 other persons (other than trafficking) were rescued.
“RPF also apprehended 9 traffickers during 2020 and 15 traffickers during 2021 up to July 21, 2021,” said a statement, issued by chief public relations officer (CRO) of NFR, Subhanan Chanda.