Human Trafficking Racket Busted: In a major crackdown against child exploitation, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP) rescued 163 minor boys from an express train at Katni railway station in Madhya Pradesh.
The joint operation, which commenced at approximately 8:30 PM on Saturday and concluded in the early hours of Sunday, targeted the Patna-Purna Express. Officials confirmed that the children were being trafficked from Bihar to Maharashtra.
Katni RPF Inspector Virendra Singh stated that the intervention followed a specific tip-off regarding the illegal movement of minors. Upon inspection, the group was found traveling without any valid identification documents or tickets.
Preliminary investigations reveal that the children, all aged between 6 and 13 years, originated from the Araria district of Bihar. They were reportedly being moved to Latur, Maharashtra, to be engaged as laborers.
The GRP has arrested eight individuals accompanying the minors. The suspects, who hail from various districts in Bihar, were unable to produce legal authorization for the transit of the children.
Authorities have registered a case against the accused under Section 143(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). This specific section pertains to the trafficking of individuals under the age of 18 and carries a minimum sentence of 10 years of rigorous imprisonment.
The rescued minors have been placed under the care of child protection units. While a significant number remain in Katni, others have been shifted to facilities in Jabalpur for better administrative oversight.
Efforts are currently underway to establish contact with the parents of the rescued boys. Officials are also verifying the identities and specific home addresses of each minor to facilitate their safe return.
Katni, situated under the Jabalpur Division of the West Central Railway, serves as one of India’s largest railway junctions, making it a critical point for monitoring and intercepting such illegal transit routes.
