Patna: Acting on a tip-off, the Muzaffarpur RPF team, led by inspector Manish Kumar, rescued 19 children from the New Jalpaiguri-Amritsar Karambhoomi Express (12407) at Muzaffarpur station late Wednesday evening under Operation ‘Ahat,' a nationwide initiative by the RPF. Four people involved in illegal human trafficking were arrested. The rescued children were later sent to their respective homes under police security.
"The RPF post received a message that several vested interests were carrying these children from Khagaria and Samastipur to Ambala, Jalandhar and Ludhiana to work as child labourers in factories. These children were promised Rs 8,000 per month each as a monthly emolument," Singh said.
When the train reached Muzaffarpur station, the RPF team began searching for the children and found them in a general coach. "On being asked, they admitted that they were being taken to Haryana and Punjab to work as child labourers," inspector Kumar said.
The arrested traffickers were identified as Dipak Kumar (38) and Rahul Kumar (22) from Khagaria; Pancha Kumar (22) from Bhagalpur and Robin Marandi (25) from Katihar.
The rescued children, aged 14 to 17, primarily belonged to Bhagalpur, Katihar and Kishanganj districts. "The Muzaffarpur RPF post later handed the accused people to the Muzaffarpur GRP for further legal action," Kumar said.