In a major crackdown on child trafficking, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP) rescued 24 minors in two separate operations in Asansol division over the past week. Authorities have arrested five persons linked to an interstate human trafficking network operating under the guise of job offers.
According to railway sources, there was a tip-off that traffickers were attempting to transport 59 individuals — including several minors— from impoverished families in Bihar and Jharkhand to various states, primarily Tamil Nadu, with the false promise of employment, better income and secure accommodation.
The first operation on Saturday unfolded during routine checks on the Jashidi-Tambaram Weekly Superfast Express, where RPF and GRP officers noticed a group of minors travelling alone in the general compartment. Upon questioning, it became evident that the children were unaccompanied by guardians. The officers detained the group for verification and brought them down to the platform for further inquiry.
“After examining identification documents, it was confirmed that 13 of the 24 young boys were under 18. Further interrogation revealed that the minors were being escorted by 11 agents to Chennai under the pretense of lucrative job opportunities. All 13 minors were promptly rescued and handed over to the Child Welfare Committee. They are currently being housed in a shelter in Birbhum district,” said a officer of railway’s Asansol division.
In a similar operation just days earlier, railway authorities intercepted a group of 35 individuals being transported through Asansol, of whom 11 were confirmed to be minors. They too were being taken to other states under the promise of employment and income.
A senior railway police official said, “Our vigilance operations are ongoing to dismantle such trafficking networks. Most of these children come from extremely poor backgrounds in Jamui, Munger and Banka districts of Bihar, as well as Deoghar and Dumka in Jharkhand. Traffickers exploit their vulnerability by luring them with promises of money, food and lodging, only to hand them over to unknown parties for a commission.”
Investigations are continuing to identify the full network of agents and recruiters involved in the trafficking ring. The RPF and GRP have reaffirmed their commitment to preventing the exploitation of minors and ensuring their safe return to their families.
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