Jaipur: In a coordinated operation, the Railway Protection Force (RPF), Child Line, and Srishti Seva Sansthan rescued 22 minor children from Dungarpur railway station in Rajasthan. The children were allegedly being trafficked to Gujarat for catering work.
Authorities also detained three agents involved in transporting the group, said officials Thursday.
According to the officials, the agents had gathered the children from different villages in Dungarpur district and were planning to board a train via Chittorgarh to Asarwa, Gujarat.
Child Line officials from the Department of Child Rights confirmed that the rescue was carried out following a tip-off received from the RPF. The information indicated that a group of children had arrived at the station and were suspected of being transported for illegal labour.
A joint team comprising Child Line, Srishti Seva Sansthan, RPF, and GRP personnel immediately reached the station and initiated verification.
As the team approached, the agents attempted to escape. When detained and questioned, they initially denied knowing the children. They later tried to mislead officials, first claiming to be relatives and later saying the group was on a picnic trip. However, individual questioning of the children revealed the truth — they were being taken out of the state for labour.
A total of 27 individuals were intercepted. After age verification, 22 were identified as minors between the ages of 11 and 18, while five were found to be adults. The detained agents were identified as Jaichand, Ashish, and Sanjay. The children reportedly belonged to Jhothari, Bedsa, Simalwara, and Mewada villages of Dungarpur district.
The rescued minors were presented before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), which ordered their placement in a child care home.
The committee also directed authorities to initiate strict legal action against the accused agents involved in trafficking and illegal child labour. Authorities said further investigation is underway to identify the network behind the trafficking attempt.
IANS