Quick action by the Nagpur police has rescued 38 labourers from a human trafficking racket. The victims, including 23 women, 5 men, and 9 minor children, belong to Ratrai taluka in the Chhindwara district of Madhya Pradesh. According to police, on Friday, an agent lured the workers by promising them jobs in soybean harvesting at Saunsar, Madhya Pradesh. Trusting him, the workers boarded a vehicle with their belongings. But instead of Saunsar, the agent tried to take them to Satara in Maharashtra.

 

The matter came to light when one minor, while passing near Washim, managed to contact a relative in Madhya Pradesh and revealed that they were being taken to an unknown place. The relative informed a local NGO, which then alerted the International Justice Mission organisation in Washim. Its representative, Kelvin, immediately contacted Commissioner of Police (CP) Dr Ravinder Kumar Singal. Dr Singal coordinated with Washim Superintendent of Police Anuj Tare. With their joint effort, all 38 workers were rescued and brought safely to Nagpur on Saturday.

 

 

The trouble, however, did not end there. On Sunday, when the group reached near Nagpur Railway Station, the agent contacted them again. He claimed he had spent Rs 1.5 lakh on their transport and forcibly collected Rs 57,000 from the frightened workers by issuing threats. As soon as CP Dr Singal received information about this, he called the workers to Sitabuldi Police Station, where they narrated the full incident. The police then registered a case of human trafficking and extortion against two agents. One of them has been detained, while efforts are on to trace the second. Addressing a press conference, the CP stated that the operation not only rescued the workers but also prevented long-term exploitation of women and minors.