Human traffickers ‘exploiting’ porous Indo-Nepal border

LUCKNOW : The porous 1751-km long Indo-Nepal border has become a major transit point for human trafficking.

With unchecked cross-over to either side, traffickers are exploiting the porous border from Uttar Pradesh to Uttarakhand, Bihar, Sikkim and West Bengal.

Panellist at the consultation conference on safety of women and children organised by Astitv, a stakeholders’ initiative against trafficking and violence, in association with the UP police on Saturday, deliberated on human trafficking and suggested the menace. Prof PM Nair, former IPS officer, moderated the session.

Panellist Siddharth Pandey pointed out that women from Nepal were trafficked into various Indian cities, especially New Delhi and Mumbai.

“Human trafficking from Nepal into India took a serious turn after the devastating earthquake in the Himalayan kingdom in August 2015. In the name of providing jobs in big cities like New Delhi and Mumbai, unsuspecting Nepalese are trafficked into India. This has increased after the August 2015 earthquake in Nepal,” said Pandey. He also raised the issue of trafficking of Nepalese women into West Asia.

Panellist Neha Dixit pointed out that SSB and civil police in districts along the Indian side of the border did not work in coordination, thereby exacerbating the problem.

“It is also not easy to differentiate between victims and migrants along the Indo-Nepal border. A lot of people also migrate daily from the Nepalese side into India” said Dixit.

Panellist Sangeeta Sharma suggested that deputation of cops in the anti-human trafficking unit must be for a fixed tenure. “A cop gets a posting in the anti-human trafficking cell for a short duration. At times a cop is even transferred after just three months of posting. This has to change,” she said.

She also suggested incentives to cops, like promotion, for outstanding performance in this unit.

SUGGESTIONS

Ajeet Singh, who runs an NGO, Guria, to fight against human trafficking and sexual exploitation of girls, especially minors, suggested a police station in each district to especially take up cases of human trafficking.

“Delayed trial is a major reason behind human traffickers going scot free,” said Singh.

He also demanded special courts for speedy trial of human trafficking cases.

Singh said: “Faulty and weak FIRs against traffickers is responsible to a large extent in getting bail to perpetrators.”