Continuing their efforts to ensure security to the people, 20 Assam Rifles personnel recently rescued Assam’s three youths from the clutches of traffickers in Jammu and Kashmir.
Apart from ensuring security of people, the 20 Assam Rifles stationed in Rangapara Tarajuli area in Assam’s Sonitpur district, has been also been involved in conducting social activities in the area.
As part of such activities, a team of 20 Assam Rifles under the initiative its commander, Captain Harvinder Singh, managed to rescue the three youths.
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Capt. Singh said the father of one of the three human trafficking victims from Mc Leod Russel Tea Estate in Rangapara area, approached the 20 Assam Rifles.
He had sought help of 20 Assam Rifles after they failed to get response from the local police though they lodged an FIR with the Rangapara Police Station.
“The three youths had gone missing on January 29, 2019. However, suddenly in between one of those three missing youths gave a call to parents of a victim saying that at first they were taken to Jagiroad Paper Mill for giving employment,” said Capt. Harbindar Singh.
“But later they were taken to J&K where they were handed over to different owners on contract basis for one year for household work as servant without their knowledge,” said Singh.
“They were inhumanly tortured regularly and were not provided the wages as well,” Capt. Singh explained.
He also added that as a quick response to the victim family’s request, a team of 20 Assam Rifles established contact with the Kashmir police with complete details including the FIR, photos of the captivated boys and also sought help of 46 Rashtriya Rifles.
Accordingly, Rashtriya Rifles started investigation immediately and as an outcome, within a few days the boys were rescued from different places of the Kashmir valley and brought back home safely.
Captain expressed his gratitude towards of the team of 20 Assam Rifles, Kashmir police and 46 Rashtriya Rifles Battalion for their combined efforts in rescuing the youths possible.
Capt Singh also said though the primary task of Assam Rifles is to contain anti-national elements, the forces have also extended helping hand towards various social causes.
It may be mentioned that Rangapara area has been a hotbed for human trafficking where poor and easy-going tea garden youths become the target of traffickers.
Meanwhile, though different organizations often hold awareness programmes to make the people aware about the human trafficking issue, but due to some people in the area who want easy money, the human trafficking problem remains un-checked.