CUTTACK: The district Child Welfare Committee (CWC) has raised concern over the alleged trafficking of two minor girls from Cuttack City to Madhya Pradesh. Apart from filing an FIR with Bidanasi police station, the committee has written a letter to the Crime Branch of Odisha Police seeking a probe into the alleged trafficking of the girls by its Integrated Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (IAHTU), which specialises in handling such cases. “Trafficking of two minor girls from Cuttack city to Madhya Pradesh is a sensitive issue. We have taken it seriously”, said CWC chairman Pramod Acharya.
Even the mothers of the two girls are unaware of the exact location in Madhya Pradesh where they were taken by a relative. If the girls were married off, then the case will be void and stringent action will be initiated against the accused under section 370 of IPC, Acharya said. He said if the minors’ families do not cooperate, problems will arise in the investigation of the case.
The matter came to the fore on Tuesday after the district child protection officer (DCPO) received a call alleging the trafficking of a 13-year-old girl of Stewart Patana to MP. The unknown person stated the girl was studying in Class VI of Dagarpada Primary School.
Upon being informed by the DCPO, Childline coordinator Narayan Shukla and member Sulochana Satapathy with the help of police conducted an inquiry at the school and her house. While the school teacher said the student was absent since June 21, her family said she was taken by her 25-year-old stepsister, who is married, to Madhya Pradesh.
During the course of the investigation, Childline officials came to know the woman had also taken another 16-year-old girl from Stewart Patana along with her. It is alleged she married off both minors in Madhya Pradesh.