VIJAYAWADA: Expressing concern over the rising woman and child trafficking in India, former inspector general of CID S Umapathi said Vijayawada has become a major transit hub for human trafficking.
Umapathi, who was honoured by the US for his contribution in the fight against trafficking, was addressing the national conference on Mapping India’s National Security Challenges here on Monday.
He said human trafficking was an organised crime where women and children from marginalised and under-privileged sections are targeted. He said it was a misconception that only women and girl children are trafficked. Even boys are being trafficked, he pointed out.
He said at the local level, some cops and even local leaders like sarpanches are colluding with the traffickers. He said this is enabling the traffickers to escape punishment.
Making a detailed presentation of the trafficking networks in the country, he said Anantapur topped the charts in trafficking followed by Ongole. He said places like Kadiri, Rayachoti, Rajampeta, Madanapalle, Rajole, Peddapuram, Palakole, Nidadavole have recorded considerable numbers of trafficking victims. In AP, around 3.2 lakh victims were identified, he said. Across the country, as many as 32 lakh victims and 220 vulnerable mandals, 6 crore bonded labourers have been identified,
Umapathi said.