19 Children Rescued, Three Women Arrested in Major Arunachal Child Trafficking Bust

Police say the victims, most below eight years of age, were allegedly lured from vulnerable families with promises of education before being trafficked across districts.

Itanagar: In one of the largest child trafficking crackdowns in Arunachal Pradesh in recent years, Namsai Police have rescued 19 children and arrested three women for allegedly acting as brokers in an inter-district child trafficking and exploitation network.

The rescued children were traced to Mechuka, Aalo, Pasighat, Naharlagun, Itanagar and Longding. Police identified the arrested women as Gumnya Kochung, Marta Ete and Neha Gerory, who allegedly procured children from economically vulnerable families and arranged their placement with individuals in distant towns.

The investigation began after a complaint filed by the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), Namsai. A case was registered at Namsai Police Station on August 17, following which a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed under the supervision of Namsai Superintendent of Police Sangey Thinley.

According to the preliminary investigation, agents allegedly approached poor families with promises of better education and a brighter future for their children. The children were then transported and handed over to others, with investigators uncovering suspected payments ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 50,000 per child in some cases.

Police also suspect that several rescued children were forced to work as domestic helpers or in hotels. Most of the victims are reported to be below eight years of age, while the youngest child was allegedly around three years old at the time of being trafficked.

The rescued children have undergone medical examinations and child protection procedures before being produced before the Child Welfare Committee. Their statements are being recorded through a child-friendly judicial process, while authorities have withheld their identities in accordance with legal safeguards.

Investigators are examining financial transactions, call records and digital evidence to trace the network and identify other facilitators and recipients involved in the racket.

Police said the investigation is ongoing and appealed to the public to share any information about children who may have been trafficked through similar means. Authorities emphasised that the safety, privacy and best interests of the rescued children remain their highest priority.