Bhubaneswar: Odisha Director General of Police (DGP) Y B Khurania Friday said the police department is working to strengthen its Integrated Anti-Human Trafficking Units (IAHTUs) by enhancing manpower and using new technology to combat human trafficking in the state.
Khurania was speaking after inaugurating a state-level conference on human trafficking here this morning.
Addressing a gathering of officers of police, labour and other departments working against human trafficking, the DGP said human trafficking is a matter of utmost concern and urgency not just for Odisha, but for the entire nation.
“Human trafficking is not just a crime is a violation of basic human rights. It strips individuals, especially women and children, of their dignity, their freedom, and their future,” he said.
Odisha, due to its socio-economic and geographic vulnerabilities, remains a source, transit, and destination for trafficking. This makes the fight against human trafficking even more critical and complex, he said.
“In Odisha, we have seen trafficking manifest in many forms: sexual exploitation, forced labour, child trafficking for domestic work and more insidiously, the trafficking of young girls under the guise of employment or marriage,” Khurania pointed out.
The IAHTUs, district child protection units and district labour officers play a pivotal role in rescuing the victims. However, rescue is not the end; rehabilitation and prevention are also equally vital, he stated.
“Combating trafficking requires more than just law enforcement. It requires a coordinated, multi-agency approach involving the police, child protection units, labour departments, NGOs, judiciary, and the community at large,” the DGP further said.
Stating that the Odisha Police are fully committed to eradicating the heinous crime, he added, “To strengthen the IAHTUs, we are working on enhancing manpower, training, and resources available at the district level.”
Similarly, inter-agency and inter-state cooperation is being deepened to trace and dismantle trafficking networks. The police department is also exploring data analytics, surveillance, and digital platforms for tracking suspected traffickers and missing persons, he added.
“Every trafficker we allow to escape justice is another child at risk, another woman exploited, another family broken. We must be relentless, compassionate and united,” Khurania told the officers.
This year, Odisha Police have rescued 1,209 missing children (131 boys and 1,078 girls) during a special drive named ‘Operation Anweshan’. Along with this, 6,667 missing women have also been rescued by the state police.
The DGP said that the Odisha Police will continue to expand the operation in the coming days.
Retired NDRF DGP P M Nair spoke on various aspects related to human trafficking, its changing trends and remedies.
Supreme Court Advocate Ravi Kant emphasised the reintegration of the rescued children with their families and society, and ensuring them a new lease of life with health, education, and safety.
Union Home Ministry Deputy Commandant Sanjay Kumar spoke on the issue of human trafficking and ‘cyber slavery’.
