The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed the Odisha Chief Secretary and DGP to ensure that all cases involving trafficking of children are monitored and investigated.
Besides, the victims should be properly rehabilitated. The NHRC gave the direction taking cognisance of a petition and subsequent submissions filed by lawyer and human rights activist Radhakanta Tripathy. Tripathy in his petition alleged that one Narayan Dash of Bariguda, Ganjam district had kidnapped an eight-year old- girl from her village on the occasion of Kartika Purnima. Narayan took the girl to Burupada and sexually exploited her. Next day, he engaged her for begging at different places after selling her ear ring for Rs 2,000 to buy a mobile phone.
Tripathy also alleged that a former model was engaging minors from a Bhubaneswar-based slum in a begging racket and extorting money from them. It is failure of the Government in dealing with children being used for begging, sexual abuse and drugs trade, Pursuant to the directions of the commission, the State Crime SP informed that a compensation of Rs. 1.5 lakh has already been paid to the victim An inquiry report by the Bhubaneswar DCP revealed that during investigation, two minor boys were rescued and handed over to their parents. The accused Jitendra Kumar Pattanaik, who was a model involved in such illegal activities was also arrested and forwarded to judicial custody.
Another accused Sankar Dash alias Naryan was also convicted and sentenced to undergo 10 years of rigorous imprisonment with fine. The State authorities informed to the NHRC that a scheme “The Odisha Victim Compensation Scheme, 2017’ has been notified and Anti- Human trafficking Units has been constituted, A police officer designated as Child Welfare Officer has been posted in each police station and a Juvenile Police Unit has been constituted in every district of the State.