The cops of the Government Railway Police (GRP) has been sensitise regarding steps which had to be taken to check human trafficking, particularly as railway is the most common mean of carrying the victims to sale them off into the hands of placement agencies or other buyers. The move to train the GRP cops has been made on the initiative taken by chief minister, Akhilesh Yadav, to check use of Uttar Pradesh as a transit route or source for human trafficking.
According to official communiqué released on Tuesday evening, a day long training programme on Anti-Human Trafficking for the railway police officers was organized with the main objective to strengthen the law enforcement working in the Railway Force so that trafficking could be combated in the transit route. Inaugurating the programme here on Tuesday morning, the Director General of Police (GRP), Javid Ahmed said, “Human Trafficking is a global problem but the railway is the most preferred mode of travel and therefore is the most vulnerable transit point through which trafficking takes place”.
He added that sensitization among the Railway Force is necessary to combat trafficking. Javid said that the intervention of Railway authorities on receiving of any information should be prompt so that immediate help and assistance is provided at the time.
Ravi Kant of Shakti Vahini, the nodal agency which has been assigned to impart sensitization programme across the state, informed about various laws associated with the menace, police investigation and role of police in combating the menace. Speaking on Section 370 IPC he said that while the old section 370 of IPC dealt with only buying or disposing of any person as a slave the new section will take in its purview buying or disposing of any person for various kinds of exploitation including slavery. This provision includes organ trade.
As the explanation further clarifies “exploitation” would also include prostitution. This is in addition to the ITP Act, 1956. The intention of the legislature in including “other forms of sexual exploitation” and “forced labour or services” can be read to address situations where the trafficked persons are used for pornographic purposes or services like massage parlours. Kant said, “There should be a strong network of the GRPs, NGOs and CHIlDlINE (1098) which will help in on route intervention of human trafficking cases.” SP GRP Railways, lucknow, claimed that Railways being the important transit point through and from which children and women are trafficked, a huge network prevails amongst the traffickers in and out of the railway stations. Therefore, convergence of GRP and RPF is very necessary to break the chain of the traffickers operating throughout. He said, “A safe and protective environment would be ensured in lucknow Railway Stations. Surveillance would be strengthened to nab the traffickers.”