CUTTACK: The district administration on Friday started inquiry into the child trafficking racket that had allegedly taken more than 10 minors from Nilakantheswar slum to Andhra Pradesh where they were reportedly engaged as domestic helps.
A team led by Chairman, district Child Welfare Committee (CWC) Bikash Mohaptra and District Child Protection Officer (DCPO) Pragati Mohanty visited the slum under Chauliaganj police limits and talked to residents.
They found that minors were regularly being taken to Andhra Pradesh by middlemen, identified as Haribabu and Giribabu, with the help of one Sashi Sahoo of the same slum for over five years now. In the present instance, seven children including five girls and two boys were taken by them and reportedly engaged in Guntur region, Mohapatra said.
The children were taken with permission of their parents on payment of a lump sum amount and promise of monthly wages to the tune of `2000-3000.
Majority of the residents of the slum are Telugu speaking and belong to Ganjam. In our interaction with parents of some children, they professed to have allowed their children to go for earning money. However, this act amounts to child trafficking and action will be taken accordingly, DCPO Mohanty said.
“The children will be rescued and further course of action will be decided in the meeting of CWC on Saturday,” Mohanty said.