The Railway police rescued 87 children at Bokaro Railway Station from Dhanbad - Alappuzha (Bokaro Express-13351), working on specific leads by CID, Ranchi on Thursday.
The children between the age group of 6 to 7 years were sent to Chas Bal Grih (Rescue centre), informed Kamal Kishor OC of Balidih police station.
“Six men were held in this connection; they were taking the children to Andhra Pradesh from Jamtara,” he added. During interrogation, they said that they were taking the children to Andhra Pradesh to get them admitted in a Madarsa for their education, informed the OC.
“We are investigating to establish whether it is a case of child trafficking or not, said Kamal Kishor.
Bokaro Child Welfare Committee president Dr Vinay Kumar said, “All the children were shifted to the rescue centre. We will call the guardians of the children to investigate the matter. We will ask them whether they were going for education in a Madarsa in AP or not,” he added.
Superintendent of Police Bokaro Kartik S said, “We are investigating into the matter whether it is the case of child trafficking or not. All the adults were detained by the GRP Bokaro while rescued children were shifted to Child Welfare Center,” he said.
District Child Welfare officer and the Child Welfare Committee are also investigating into the matter on their own end, said the SP.
Meanwhile, on a tip-off, Railway Child line officials alongwith railway police rescued 21 children at Ranchi Railway Station from the Dhanbad - Alappuzha (Bokaro Express-13351) Express train, informed Rajiv Kumar, Co-ordinator Railway Child line.
A joint team of CWC Ranchi and Railway Child line officials rescued 21 children from the train, informed Srikant Kumar CWC member Ranchi. “Among the rescued children 8 were below nine years while 13 were below 11 years,” he added.