Bihar: Anti-Human trafficking operation team rescues 13 minors, apprehends four traffickers

Sitamarhi (Bihar) [India], July 7 (ANI): The Anti-Human Trafficking operation team of 20th Battalion Sitamarhi led by Commandant H.B.K Singh yesterday rescued 13 minor boys and apprehended four traffickers from Sitamarhi district's Bairgania Railway Station in Bihar. The rescued minors were being taken by the Karambhoomi Express train to Mumbai for child labour at construction sites and big factories. The traffickers were handed over to GRP Sitamarhi after lodging an FIR and the rescued victims were handed over to a Non- Governmental Organisation (NGO) Childline. The rescued minor boys were between the age group of 13 to 17 years. Out of the 13 boys, nine were Indian while four were Nepalese. Among four apprehended traffickers one was Nepalese and rest were Indian nationals from Bihar. During the preliminary interrogation, apprehended persons revealed the names of persons to whom these children were to be handed over at Mumbai. The Mumbai Police were intimated about the details of the person. The nexus between Indian and Nepalese traffickers is being investigated by GRP Sitamarhi and help of Mumbai police is also being taken to break this nexus. A special drive against human traffickers on Indo-Nepal and Indo-Bhutan has been launched by the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) on the initiative of DG, SSB Archana Ramasundaram. Leading a campaign against human traffickers on Indo-Nepal Border and Indo-Bhutan Border, the SSB has rescued 359 victims and apprehended 113 human traffickers in 82 cases this year so far. In the year 2016, the SSB has rescued 533 victims and apprehended 160 human traffickers in 87 cases. (ANI)