Arunachal Police rescues trafficked minor girls from Raipur; 1 arrested

Our correspondent

Itanagar: In a major breakthrough, police in Arunachal Pradesh’s Siang district, successfully rescued two minor girls aged 15 and 17, who were trafficked from Boleng to Raipur in Chhattisgarh under false promises of employment made via social media.

The prime accused, Mughaka Awomi (21), a resident of Dimapur, Nagaland and working as a cook in Raipur, has been arrested. The operation was launched following a complaint filed by Obuk Jerang on June 10 last, regarding the disappearance of his 15-year-old daughter. A missing person report was filed, which later led to the registration of a trafficking case under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

The Child Welfare Committee (CWC) of the district, was promptly alerted, Siang superintendent of police J K Lego informed on Saturday.

Using technical surveillance, police traced the girls to Raipur and, with help from Vidhan Sabha Police Station, rescued both the girls of Yingku village. They were found in the company of the accused and temporarily housed at Sakhi Saheli, a government shelter in Raipur, for safety.

A police team led by sub-inspector Tanu Padung traveled to Raipur, took custody of the girls, and secured a transit remand for the accused. The victims were brought back to Boleng on June 20, where they were medically examined and handed over to the CWC for counseling and rehabilitation.

Investigations revealed that the accused had lured the victims via social media with fake job offers and orchestrated their journey from Boleng to Raipur. Upon arrival, the girls realized there were no jobs, leaving them stranded until their rescue, the SP said.

Further investigations are ongoing to probe potential links to a larger trafficking network. Digital devices and financial trails are being examined to identify accomplices.

Lego supervised the entire operation, with support from DySP Sange Tenzin and DySP (Law & Order) Togum Gongo.

The core team included officer in-charge of Boleng police station SI Tanu Padung ASI Limi Karga), constable Prince Kumar Singh, and lady constable Pekgam Nyorak.

The Siang Police has urged parents to closely monitor children's online interactions and remain vigilant against trafficking threats.

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