19 Kids 'Rescued', Trafficking Suspected

GUWAHATI: Nineteen children from Assam and Tripura who were allegedly being trafficked outside the Northeast were rescued and three suspected child traffickers detained on Wednesday.

The suspects told police’s CID branch that they were taking the children to a religious centre in Himachal Pradesh with their parents’ permission.

“As of now, we can’t say anything with certainty. We will verify their claim by talking to the children’s guardians. Investigation is on,” a senior CID official told Express. However, the Childline workers who “rescued” the children from the railway station here suspect that it is a case of trafficking.

“After they were zeroed in on, the suspects admitted that they had trafficked 16 children three months ago,” said Childline’s Guwahati coordinator, Nirmal Deka.

The children are all boys and aged between six and 15 years. They hail from Hailakandi district and neighbouring Tripura.  “An unknown caller had informed about the children. He said the children were at the railway station and that they were being trafficked outside the region. We informed police and reached the railway station. There were 19 children, including one who is blind,” Deka said.

“The children were not accompanied by their guardians. They could not tell us much about where they were headed to,” he added.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com