Trafficked in paradise: J&K’s hidden human trade surfaces in NCRB data

Srinagar: Behind Kashmir’s tourist postcards and claims of returning normalcy, a quieter crisis is unfolding — the trafficking of vulnerable men, women and children for forced labour, coerced marriages and sexual exploitation.

Fresh National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data has revealed that 60 people were identified as victims of human trafficking in Jammu and Kashmir in 2024, exposing an underreported crime that activists say thrives in silence and social stigma.

The NCRB report shows that Jammu and Kashmir recorded 17 human trafficking cases in 2024, up from 10 in 2023 and eight in 2022, indicating a steady rise over the last three years.

Forced labour emerged as the biggest reason behind trafficking in the Union Territory. Of the 60 victims identified last year, 36 were trafficked for labour, 12 for forced marriages, eight for sexual exploitation linked to prostitution and two for domestic servitude.

What makes the numbers striking is the profile of the victims. Unlike the common perception that trafficking primarily targets women and children, the majority of identified victims in J&K were adult men.

The report lists 36 adult male victims, 16 adult females and eight girls below 18 years.

Authorities rescued 58 persons during anti-trafficking operations in 2024. Among them were 35 Nepalese nationals, pointing to the presence of interstate and possible cross-border trafficking networks operating through the region.

Police arrested 45 accused persons and charge-sheeted 42 individuals during the year. Yet, despite the arrests and an 81% charge-sheeting rate, not a single conviction was recorded because trials remained pending.

For activists working on child protection and substance abuse in Kashmir, the data only reflects the visible edge of a much larger problem.

“Trafficking here is often hidden behind job offers, marriage arrangements or migration for labour,” said a Srinagar-based social worker involved in rehabilitation programmes. “Families frequently don’t even realise exploitation has taken place until it is too late.”

Experts say economic distress, unemployment and rising drug abuse have increased vulnerability among youth in parts of Jammu and Kashmir.

The NCRB data shows that 26 Anti Human Trafficking Units are currently functional across J&K’s 36 police districts. But rights groups argue that rescue alone is insufficient without rehabilitation, counselling and livelihood support for survivors.

Nationally, India registered 2,135 trafficking cases in 2024, with Telangana reporting the highest number.

In Kashmir, however, the issue carries deeper social implications. In a region long defined by conflict and political instability, trafficking remains one of the least discussed forms of violence — largely invisible, often unreported, but steadily growing beneath the surface.