163 minors boys being trafficked to Maharashtra rescued from train in MP's Katni; 8 held

Katni: As many as 163 minor boys allegedly being trafficked from Bihar to Maharashtra were rescued from an express train in Madhya Pradesh's Katni district by the railway police, officials said on Sunday.

The children, aged between six and 13, were being transported from Bihar for labour work in Latur when the RPF and GRP intercepted the group on Saturday night based on a tip-off from the Child Welfare Committee, they said.

In a joint overnight operation, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and the Government Railway Police (GRP) intercepted eight persons, who were travelling with the boys without proper tickets and documents onboard the Patna-Purna Express at Katni railway station, they said.

According to preliminary information, the children were being taken from the Araria region in Bihar to Latur in Maharashtra, RPF Katni inspector Virendra Singh told PTI.

The force received a tip off about the trafficking of children and grew suspicious after they found no valid travel documents, prompting a joint rescue operation, which was wrapped up at Sunday dawn, he said.

Singh said that the GRP have registered a case under section 143(4) (trafficking of a child below the age of eighteen years) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against the eight accused, all from different districts of Bihar.

Initial investigations suggest that the boys were being taken to Latur to work as labourers, he said, adding that the GRP is investigating the case.

According to officials, the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) had received information about a large number of children being transported under suspicious circumstances.

Security personnel waited for the express train on platform number 5 and searched coaches upon its arrival, taking the children into safe custody, they added.

Child Protection Officer Manish Tiwari said authorities acted promptly on the input, and the rescued children were undergoing counselling.

Efforts have begun to contact their parents while officials verified their age, identity and purpose of travel, he said.

Some children have been kept in Katni and others in Jabalpur under the care of child protection units.