NAMSAI, 25 Aug: Police have rescued 19 children, most of them below eight years of age, from different parts of Arunachal Pradesh, and arrested three alleged facilitators in connection with a suspected inter-district child trafficking and exploitation network, a senior police officer said.
The children were rescued from Mechukha, Aalo, Pasighat, Naharlagun, Itanagar and Longding during an ongoing operation by the Namsai police, Namsai SDPO Kengo Dirchi said.
The youngest among them was reportedly around three years old at the time the child was allegedly procured or placed with another person.
"We have so far recovered 19 children from different locations across the state. The operation is still continuing, and our teams are working to trace other children who may have been taken or placed under similar circumstances," Dirchi, who is also the investigating officer of the case, said.
The case was registered at the Namsai police station on 17 August, following a complaint from the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), Namsai.
Considering the seriousness and inter-district nature of the case, a special investigation team (SIT) was constituted under the supervision of Namsai Superintendent of Police Sangey Thinley, assisted by Deputy SP (HQ) Martin Ratan. The investigation was entrusted to Dirchi.
The police have arrested Gumnya Kochung, Marta Ete and Neha Gerory for their alleged roles as facilitators or brokers.
"Preliminary investigation indicates that economically vulnerable families were approached with assurances of better education, care and upbringing for their children. The children were thereafter allegedly procured, transported and placed with different persons at distant locations," Dirchi said.
He said investigators have also come across suspected monetary transactions ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 50,000 per child in certain cases.
"There are suspected instances where some parents or guardians may also have received monetary consideration for handing over their children. However, the circumstances and individual roles of every person involved are being independently investigated," the SDPO said.
Some of the rescued children were allegedly engaged as domestic helpers and in hotel-related work.
Dirchi said the age of the children was among the most disturbing aspects of the investigation.
"A majority of the rescued children are below eight years of age. During preliminary interaction, some of them could not even recall their parents' names or basic details about their families," he said.
Following their rescue, the children underwent necessary medical examinations and child-protection procedures and were produced before the competent CWC. Their statements are also being recorded before a magistrate through a child-friendly process.
The SIT is examining financial transactions, call records, digital evidence, movement of the children, and suspected links among facilitators, receivers and other persons to establish the entire chain, Dirchi said.
"The recovery of 19 children is not the end of the operation. We are continuing the investigation and appeal to anyone having information about children taken or placed through intermediaries under similar circumstances to come forward," he added.
