Three persons have been arrested by Arunachal Pradesh police in connection with a suspected inter-district child trafficking and exploitation network, police said on Tuesday.
Namsai Police Rescue 19 Children from Alleged Trafficking
Namsai police have rescued 19 children from various locations in the state, with most being under eight years old. The youngest child is reportedly around three. The operation, which is ongoing, aims to locate additional children who may have been taken under similar circumstances.
The rescued children were found in areas including Mechuka, Aalo, Pasighat, Naharlagun, Itanagar, and Longding. Investigators revealed that some of the children had been engaged as domestic help and in hotel work.
Police arrested Gumnya Kochung, Marta Ete, and Neha Gerory for their alleged roles as facilitators in this case. According to authorities, these facilitators approached economically vulnerable families with promises of better education and care for their children, only to transport them to distant locations.
The case was initiated on August 17, following a complaint from the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) in Namsai. Director Dirchi stated, “We have so far recovered 19 children from different locations across the state. The operation is still continuing and our teams are working to trace other children who may have been taken or placed under similar circumstances.”
Majority of Recovered Children Under Eight Struggle with Family Recall
Most of the children recovered from a recent incident are under eight years old. During initial interviews, many were unable to remember their parents’ names or fundamental details about their families. This was revealed by Namsai SDPO Kengo Dirchi, the officer leading the investigation.
“The recovery of 19 children is not the end of the operation,” Dirchi said, adding that the investigation was continuing.
