GRP RESCUES 33 KIDS FROM TRAFFICKERS

PRAYAGRAJ: The Government Railway Police (GRP), Prayagraj, rescued at least 33 children from North East (NE) Express train on Friday night. The rescued children, who were allegedly being trafficked for child labour, were later handed over to child welfare committee, GRP officials said.

Station house officer, GRP, inspector Ram Mohan Rai said acting on tip-off a joint team of GRP, railway protection force and Childline rescued the children who were in 7-15 age group. Primary investigations revealed that some children belonged to Kishanganj, Katihar and other districts of Bihar while some others hailed from West Bengal.

Some children were to be taken to Prayagraj while others were being taken to Kanpur and Delhi, Rai added. Nine people who were with the children were being questioned in this connection, he said.

Judicial magistrate, child welfare committee, Mohd Hasan Zaidi, however, concluded in his probe that the children were being taken to Delhi, Ludhiana and other districts.

“FIR should be lodged against Mohd Hashim, Shahid Alam, Noman, Abdul Salam and Mubbashir under Section 14 of Child Labour Act, Section 79 of Juvenile Justice Act of 2015, Section 370 of IPC along with the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897. The committee has taken statement of all the children and will take further action soon,” he added.

Meanwhile, those taken into custody claimed that children were madarsa students who were being taken for admission purposes.

SOME KIDS WERE TO BE TAKEN TO PRAYAGRAJ WHILE OTHERS WERE BEING TAKEN TO KANPUR AND DELHI.