Alertness of a lawyer from the capital, who was going to Rajnandgaon to meet some legal responsibilities by Howrah-Mumbai Mail, led to rescue of 34 minor children from the train, who’re reportedly being trafficked to Maharashtra from Bihar. Police who swung into action after the alert sent by the lawyer, also managed to arrest two persons accompanying the kids.

 

 

Lawyer Smita Pandey had boarded Howrah-Mumbai Mail from the capital for Rajnandgaon on Thursday to attend some legal work there. In the train she saw large number of children traveling under suspicious condition. After conducting preliminary enquiry regarding documentation for traveling of so many children and not getting satisfactory reply, she immediately alerted the police.

 

 

As soon as the train reached Rajnandgoan railway station, police who raided the S-5 coach of the train and rescued the 34 minor children aged between 6-14 years, most of whom were hungry while some others were ill. Later the police detained the train and searched for more such children and let the train move only after it was satisfied no such children are traveling in the train. Prima facie the police is taking this case as a case of human trafficking and proceeding accordingly.

 

 

Additional Superintendent of Police U B S Chauhan told media persons that all the children will be produced before the Juvenile Court. Thereafter the parents of these children will be called and the children would be handed over to them on production of valid documents, otherwise proceedings will be initiated as per court order. The police who had stationed the children at Mangal Bhawan situated in Rajnandgaon Police Lines, provided the children with food and medical assistance.