GRP arrested the agent of a placement agency on Friday for allegedly trafficking two tribal minor girls aged 17 years. The police claimed that the agent was taking them to Delhi where they were to be employed as domestic helps.
The girls were rescued from the Utkal Express train. The placement agency agent had promised them white-collared jobs.
The agent was identified as Bhagwati Prasad of Chakradharpur and the girls were from village Roudia in Chakradharpur of Jharkhand. The Jharsuguda District Child Protection Unit was actively involved in the rescue operation, which was initiated after receiving a tipoff from District Child Protection Officer Sunanda Maharana.
Prasad was booked under IPC Sections 374 (unlawful compulsory labour) and also Section 14 of the Child labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act and Section 26 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) of Children Act.
The rescued girls were sent to the Reform Swadhar Centre before being sent back to their families, said Jharsuguda GRP IIC M Hansda.