Guwahati: Human trafficking is on the rise in India’s Northeast which was evident as the Railway Protection Force (RPF) of the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) rescued as many as 16 minors in just seven days from different railway stations.
Personnel of the RPF rescued these minors between April 13 and April 19 this year while conducting checks and drives at railway stations under the jurisdiction of the NFR.
During the period 2023-24, a total of 654 minors, including 409 boys and 245 girls, besides 69 women, were rescued by the personnel of the RPF in coordination with the Government Railway Police (GRP), Childline and other Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs). The rescued children and women were later handed over to the respective Childline, NGOs and GRP for further legal proceedings.
During the same period, as many as 12 human traffickers were arrested and 32 persons, including 25 minor boys, four minor girls, two males, and a female, were rescued from the clutches of the traffickers.
In an incident reported on April 18 this year, an RPF team under the NFR rescued three destitute minor boys from Bihar’s Katihar railway station. Later, the rescued boys were handed over to their respective parents after verification.
The Indian Railways have been taking several measures to extend immediate help and support in case of children in need of care and protection found in trains and the railway station premises.