19 Children, Including A 3-Year-Old, Rescued From Alleged Trafficking Network In Arunachal Pradesh
Itanagar: A suspected child trafficking network has been uncovered in Arunachal Pradesh after police rescued 19 children, most of them under the age of eight, from different parts of the state.
Three people — identified as Gumnya Kochung, Marte Ete and Neha Gerory — have been arrested in connection with the case, police said.
The investigation began after the Namsai Child Welfare Committee (CWC) filed a complaint. Following the complaint, police registered a case on August 17 and launched an operation across several locations.
The children were rescued from Mechuka, Aalo, Pasighat, Naharlagun, Itanagar and Longding, according to officials. Superintendent of Police Sangey Thinley said the youngest child rescued was around three years old.
“We have rescued 19 children across different places of Arunachal Pradesh. Three persons were arrested in connection with child trafficking. We are investigating the case,” Thinley said.
Investigators have reportedly found evidence of monetary transactions ranging from around ₹10,000 to ₹50,000 per child in some cases. Police are now examining who was involved in arranging the children, where they were taken and how the alleged network operated.
Authorities have formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to conduct a detailed investigation and identify other people who may be connected to the case.
According to reports, some of the rescued children were allegedly made to work as domestic helpers or in hotels.
The case has also highlighted the vulnerability of children from economically weaker families. An activist involved in child rescue and rehabilitation said middlemen often take advantage of the demand for workers in hotels, restaurants and households.
Such middlemen, the activist said, may approach financially vulnerable families and promise work or better opportunities before taking children away to other parts of the state. In some cases, families later file missing-person complaints when the children fail to return home.
The rescue of 19 children has now prompted authorities to investigate the wider network, including the alleged middlemen, employers and anyone else who may have facilitated the movement and exploitation of the children.
Police said the investigation is continuing, while efforts are underway to ensure the rescued children receive appropriate care and support.
News Source : Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.
