Guwahati
In a major success, 26 minor girls and young women were rescued from a human trafficking gang at Tinsukia railway station in Assam. Railway officials said they were being taken to Tamil Nadu with fake documents.
The Railway Protection Force (RPF) and the Government Railway Police (GRPF) acted together during a regular check at the station. Five people, including both men and women, were caught and are believed to be part of the trafficking group.
One accused person, Bidyut Dutta, claimed that the girls were being sent to work in a textile factory. However, police are not fully convinced and are continuing their investigation into a possible wider trafficking network.
Human trafficking is a serious problem in Upper Assam, especially in areas with tea gardens. Poor families are often tricked by promises of jobs and money. Many girls are then taken to other states for forced work or worse.
The Assam government has introduced a new plan to fight human trafficking and witch-hunting. The plan focuses on prevention, rescue, punishment, and care for survivors. It also names the Department of Women and Child Development as the lead agency to carry out the policy.
The policy says that crimes like trafficking and witch-hunting mostly harm women and girls. It also notes Assam's difficult location, as the state borders six northeastern states, Bangladesh, and Bhutan, which makes controlling such crimes harder.
