HYDERABAD: The Telangana team of Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA), in collaboration with the Railways Protection Force (RPF), successfully rescued 25 children and apprehended 10 alleged traffickers on Monday. The children, aged between 12 and 17 years, were rescued from the East Coast Express train that operates between Kolkata and Hyderabad Deccan.
Acting on a tip received through a child helpline number, the observation team identified the children, and the rescue operation took place at Warangal Railway Station on Monday around 2:45 pm. The rescued children, hailing from various States, have been provided shelter at a children’s home in Hanamkonda, and efforts are underway to reunite them with their parents.
The operation was a combined effort of the BBA team, the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) of the RPF, the District Child Protection Unit (DCPU), and the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) in Warangal. Out of the 25 children, 13 are from West Bengal, 8 from Odisha, and 4 from Bihar. These boys were being brought to Hyderabad to work in hotels, dhabas, mutton biryani outlets, and as carpenters. The traffickers involved also belong to these States.
Upon contacting the parents of the rescued children, some of them revealed that their children had left home on their own, stating that they were going out with friends or relatives while the parents were occupied with work in the fields.