ITANAGAR: Nineteen children have been rescued from different parts of Arunachal Pradesh and three suspected brokers arrested in a crackdown on an alleged child trafficking network, police said on Tuesday.
The case was registered at Namsai Police Station on August 17 following a complaint filed by the district Child Welfare Committee, police said.
The rescued children were traced to Mechuka in Shi-Yomi district, Aalo in West Siang, Pasighat in East Siang, Naharlagun, Itanagar and Longding.
Considering the inter-district nature of the case, police constituted a Special Investigation Team to conduct a detailed investigation into the alleged trafficking network.
Preliminary investigation revealed that economically vulnerable families were allegedly approached by intermediaries with promises of better education and care for their children. The minors were subsequently allegedly taken from their families and placed with individuals in distant locations.
Namsai Superintendent of Police Sange Thinley said most of the rescued children were below eight years of age, with the youngest being around three.
Police also uncovered suspected monetary transactions ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 50,000 per child involving some intermediaries and parents, the SP said.
According to police, the children were allegedly engaged in domestic work and jobs at hotels.
The statements of the rescued children were recorded before a magistrate, Thinley said. The SIT was examining financial transactions, digital evidence and call records to identify other members of the suspected network and establish the full extent of the alleged operation.
Police also appealed to the public to share information about children who may have been placed in similar circumstances as the investigation continued.
