Two girls were rescued from Sarupathar railway station in Assam

A 14-year-old and 18-year-old girl were rescued from the Sarupathar Railway Station on 22^nd June 2022 by Caritas India’s Anti Human Trafficking partner Seva Kendra Dibrugarh (SKD) Anti Human Trafficking (AHT) Team. They were lucky to be rescued at Sarupathar Railway Station Platform before reaching their destination from the clutches of trafficking.

The incident happened on 22^nd June 2022 at about 10.30 pm when Community Outreach Worker received a telephone call from Sarupathar Railway Station informing that two girls were seen with two boys on the railway platform. The SKD team along with one female police and two male local police personnel reached the station and managed to counter the incident and the girls were rescued and the accused were arrested on the spot. While the accused were in the custody, some intoxicants and big chains were recovered from their bag, the girls were seemingly empty.

During this operation, the accused revealed themselves as Mr. Rakesh Rajwar and Mr. Joy Jho from Hojai. While trying to understand the incident, the girls stated that they were called by those two boys in the pretext of bonding them in marriages at Hojai. Without knowing the consequences, the girls followed them.

Both girls were said to be closed family cousins. The minor girl’ when her mother was out of the station on the day, this incident happened. Her father had been away from home since January 2022 and is working in Chennai. The two rescued girls are from Sarupathar, Golaghat District, where AHT Program is operational. Though awareness has reached all the project vicinities and beyond project villages, many teenage boys and girls are lured with the imaginary world and attractive promises.

Since then accused were laid at the railway Police station and both the girls were also in Police custody till 24^th June 2022. On the 24^th of June 2022, ie the 3^rd day after all procedures were complied with, the girls were provided counselling by the SKD team and had their medical examinations. And on 25^th June 2022, the minor girl was produced before Child Welfare Committee (CWC) and the other girl was handed over to District Ujjawal Home for rehabilitation.

Witnessing this incident, CWC chairperson Dr. Lukumoni Goswami urged the authorities to take strict action as per law against the traffickers.