Rajasthan Authorities Rescue 22 Minors from Trafficking Attempt
Rescue Operation at Dungarpur Railway Station
Jaipur, Dec 4: In a well-coordinated effort, the Railway Protection Force (RPF), Child Line, and Srishti Seva Sansthan successfully rescued 22 minor children at the Dungarpur railway station in Rajasthan. These children were reportedly being trafficked to Gujarat for work in catering.
Officials confirmed that three agents involved in the trafficking operation were apprehended during the rescue on Thursday.
According to reports, the agents had collected the children from various villages within Dungarpur district and were preparing to board a train to Asarwa, Gujarat, via Chittorgarh.
Child Line representatives from the Department of Child Rights stated that the rescue was initiated following a tip-off from the RPF, which indicated that a group of children had arrived at the station and were suspected of being trafficked for illegal labor.
A collaborative team consisting of Child Line, Srishti Seva Sansthan, RPF, and GRP personnel promptly arrived at the station to conduct verification.
As the team approached, the agents attempted to flee. Upon being detained and interrogated, they initially claimed ignorance about the children. They later tried to mislead the officials by asserting they were relatives and that the group was on a picnic. However, individual questioning of the minors revealed the reality—they were being taken out of the state for labor purposes.
A total of 27 individuals were stopped for questioning. After verifying their ages, 22 were confirmed to be minors aged between 11 and 18, while five were adults. The detained agents were identified as Jaichand, Ashish, and Sanjay. The children hailed from the villages of Jhothari, Bedsa, Simalwara, and Mewada in Dungarpur district.
The rescued minors were subsequently presented to the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), which mandated their placement in a child care facility.
The committee also instructed authorities to pursue stringent legal action against the agents involved in trafficking and illegal child labor. Further investigations are ongoing to uncover the trafficking network behind this incident.