Jajpur: Thirteen minor boys, aged between 6 and 17, who were allegedly being trafficked from Bihar through Odisha, were rescued in Jajpur district in a joint operation by Railway Protection Force (RPF) and police along with Childline officials on Monday.
According to sources, Childline’s Bhadrak district helpline received a tip-off about the minors traveling on Jan Shatabdi Express train. They informed police and reached the Bhadrak railway station and located the boys in the D7 coach as the train halted. “But the train started moving. Two Childline members boarded the train to ensure the children’s safety, while the RPF alerted its team at the next station in Jajpur,” Subhashree Padhiary of Childline told the media.
The children have been placed under the care of Childline and will be handed over to their parents. A detailed investigation is underway to identify any traffickers or networks involved.
This is the fourth in a series of such rescues in the state in April. The RPF had rescued 34 minor students, mostly boys aged 15 to 19 from Bihar and West Bengal, from Howrah-Secunderabad Falaknuma Express at Berhampur railway station in Ganjam district on April 18. Two youths, who claimed to be their ‘guardians’, were detained for questioning, after failing for produce any documents from the parents of the students for escorting them. Earlier, 71 children, hailing from Araria district in Bihar, were rescued from Cuttack railway station in two phases on April 15 and April 11 under operation Nanhe Fariste. Those children were allegedly brought to Odisha with promises of free education, food, and accommodation at madrasas, raising concerns about organised networks targeting underprivileged families.
