HT Bureau 

GUWAHATI, July 23: The Railway Protection Force (RPF) of Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) rescued 18 persons from various stations in different operations conducted over NFR on July 20. RPF also apprehended one person for alleged involvement in human trafficking.

In one such incident on July 20, RPF and QRT staff of Rangiya conducted a check at Rangiya Railway Station and rescued 15 persons (5 males and 10 females) belonging to the Bindukuri area of the Sonitpur district of Assam. During the checking, the RPF team also apprehended one female resident of Dekasuburi village in Sonitpur district for alleged involvement in human trafficking. As per the information, the apprehended woman was trafficking them in the pretext of offering a job somewhere in Mumbai. During interrogation, it was revealed that all the members of the rescued group were paid Rs 2,000 each as advance with journey tickets for Mumbai by the apprehended woman. Later, the apprehended woman along with the rescued persons were handed over to OC/GRPS/Rangiya for further necessary action.

Meanwhile, RPF staff of New Coochbehar jointly with Meri Saheli team conducted routine checking at New Coochbehar Railway Station and rescued two runaway minor girls of the Toofanganj area of Coochbehar (West Bengal). Later, the rescued girls were handed over to the chairperson, CWC, Coochbehar. Later in the day, an RPF team of Guwahati, while conducting checks at Guwahati Railway Station rescued one minor boy, a resident of Morigaon. As per information, the boy fled from home for being scolded by his parents and was handed over to Railway Childline, Guwahati for further course of action.