Gonda: A joint team of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) Crime Intelligence Branch, Bachpan Bachao Andolan Committee, Gorakhpur, and Aparajita Social Committee, Bahraich, rescued around a dozen minor children from a train in Gonda, who were allegedly being taken from Motihari in Bihar to Pehowa in Haryana’s Kurukshetra district to work at a rice mill. Two persons accompanying the children have been arrested in connection with the suspected child trafficking and child labour case.
Acting under the direction of the Principal Chief Security Commissioner, Gorakhpur, and Senior Divisional Security Commissioner, Lucknow, CIB Gonda Inspector Uday Raj conducted a joint checking operation aboard the Jananayak Express along with Manish Kumar Verma, Assistant Project Officer of the Bachpan Bachao Andolan Committee, Gorakhpur.
After the train departed from Barua Chak station, the team found several minors in a general coach in a frightened condition. Initial questioning of the two men accompanying them raised suspicion of child trafficking and exploitation for labour. When the train reached Gonda station, the children and the two men were taken off the train with the assistance of railway personnel.
The suspects were identified as Pramod Kumar, 19, and Vijay Sah, 27, both residents of Mehsi in Motihari. During questioning, they allegedly said they were taking the children to Haryana for work at the behest of contractors identified as Anil and Mukesh. It was further alleged that the children’s families had been lured and persuaded to send them for work and were provided advance payments.
The rescued children were handed over to Childline Gonda in-charge Neetu Tripathi for care and protection and were subsequently produced before the Juvenile Justice Board.
On the basis of a complaint filed by CIB Inspector Uday Raj, a case has been registered at the Anti-Human Trafficking Police Station, Gonda, against Pramod Kumar, Vijay Sah and the contractors identified as Mukesh Sah and Anil Sah.
The operation involved Sub-Inspector Lal Sahab Singh, Assistant Sub-Inspector Dilip Kumar Singh, constables Bablu Kumar Singh, Mohanlal, Dinesh Kumar and Sanjay Kumar, along with Manish Kumar Verma of the Bachpan Bachao Andolan Committee and Abhay Pandey, Project Head, and Atreya Tripathi, District Coordinator, of the Aparajita Social Committee.
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