The Railway Protection Force (RPF) of Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) rescued 20 minor children from various stations in different operations conducted over NFR in the last five days.
The RPF also apprehended one person for alleged involvement in human trafficking, informed chief information and public relations officer Subhanan Chanda.
The NFR CPRo informed that in an incident on August 16, 2021, an RPF team of RPF post at Guwahati jointly with member of Railway Childline, Guwahati conducted checking at Guwahati Railway Station and rescued 2 runaway minor boys, both are brothers, aged about 12 years and 16 years.
They are residents of Hatigoli in Lumding under Assam’s Hojai district.
Later, the rescued boys were handed over to Railway Childline, Guwahati for safe custody and further necessary action.
On the same day, an RPF team of RPF post in New Tinsukia during a routine check at New Tinsukia station rescued one minor girl along with 2 boys, aged between 15 to 19 years, who were roaming near 2nd class waiting hall in a suspicious manner.
The girl is from Chabua in Upper Assam’s Dibrugarh district and the other two boys are from Baghmari Gaon in Assam’s Dhubri district.
The matter was immediately informed to the parents of the girl and the officer-in-charge of Chabua police station for further action.
The minor girl fled from her home without intimating her parents.
Later, along with two boys, she was handed over to the officer-in-charge of Chabua police station in presence of guardians of the rescued minor girl for further action.
On August 15, 2021, an RPF train escort party of train No. 05910 UP (Lalgarh – Dibrugarh Express Special) rescued one runaway minor girl aged about 13 years belonging to Kothiapathar under Tinsukia district.
The matter was informed to her family members over the phone.
Later, the rescued girl was handed over to her elder brother after proper identification.
In one incident on August 12, 2021, a joint team of RPF, GRP and Childline of Kishanganj conducted a drive against child trafficking at Kishanganj railway station.
During checking, they apprehended one person for alleged involvement in human trafficking, namely Shakhul Hadi (34) belonging to Khora under Goalpokhar PS in Uttar Dinajpur district of West Bengal and rescued 10 minor children, who were being trafficked by him for child labour purpose in other parts of the country.
Later, the apprehended person was handed over to the officer-in-charge of the GRP, Kishanganj, who registered a case under section 370/374 IPC, 14/4 Child labours Prohibition and Regulation Act 1986, Prevention of Human Trafficking Act, 2014 and 75/79 of the J. J. Act 2016.
All the rescued children were handed over to Childline/Kishanganj for further course of action.