The Delhi Police has rescued 14 children who were allegedly being trafficked from different districts of Bihar to Delhi. Police said that they have also arrested 10 people in this connection.
The arrested accused persons have been identified as Mohammad Akbar (35), Mohammad Manzoor Alam (25), Naushad (36), Tasuvil (30), Md. Naseem (35), Aman Kumar Sharma (21), Noor Alam (32), Mohammad Mehraj (24), Maskhur Alam (23) and Mahesh Lal Kewat (33), all residents of Bihar,
Police said that as per protocol, the rescued children who are in the age group of 12-14 have been taken to a quarantine centre in south Delhi's Lajpat Nagar. According to Harendra Kumar Singh, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Railways, the matter came to notice after an information was received from an NGO on September 7, about 14 minors being trafficked and brought to Delhi by Mahananda Express Train from different districts of Bihar. “A joint operation was laid at Old Delhi Railway Station by police along with NGO Bachpan Bacho Andolan, Salam Balak Trust and RPF personnel. The team kept a sharp vigil on movement of passengers when the train arrived and closely monitored the CCTV cameras to see any suspicious movement,” said the DCP.
“Ten persons were detained and 14 children accompanying them were rescued. These children were medically examined and taken to the quarantine centre, Lajpat Nagar. They were produced before the Child Welfare Committee through video conferencing. Based on their statements before the committee, the case was registered and the ten accused persons were arrested,” said the DCP.
“During interrogation, the accused disclosed these children belong to different districts of Bihar. Among those rescued, nine children were from Katihar, two from Begusarai, two from Kishanganj and one from Purnia. They had planned to take these children to different places, four to Azadpur in Delhi, two to Seelampur, another two to Faridabad and six to Punjab,” said the DCP.