Child traffickers from WB held IE cops net couple
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 27 2011:
Imphal East District Police have arrested three persons including a couple who trafficked eight children from West Bengal and brought them to Imphal make them beg for alms on the streets or work in eatery joints.
Informing this to reporters today, OC of Porompat Police Station Gitchandra said that all three of them, namely the accused Nandu (35) of Jalpaiguri, West Bengal, his wife Kamakhya (33) and another woman were arrested from Mahabali area yesterday.
The arrest was made based on a report submitted by Child Welfare Committee (CWC), Imphal West.
They brought in eight children including two kids of the couple, the police officer disclosed, adding that from interrogation it has been established that the children have been trafficked for the purpose of making them beg alms on the streets or work in hotels and other eatery joints.
Along with registering an FIR against the arrested trio, all three of them were produced before CJM Imphal East today and with the permission of the Court, they have been sent to judicial custody for 15 days, the OC informed.
The police officer further informed that out of the eight children , two of them have been taken by their respective relatives staying in Imphal and four others have been kept in the custody of CWC temporarily.
Meanwhile, talking to The Sangai Express, chairperson of Child Welfare Committee (CWC), Imphal West Annie Mangsatabam has urged for concerted efforts and co-ordination among police personnel deployed in police stations along the National Highways for taking up necessary preventive measures to check trafficking of children not just from Manipur but also from outside into Manipur.
Pointing out that this was not the first incident of trafficking young children to Manipur for the purposes of bonded labourers, Annie cautioned that the issue of trafficking children into Manipur could pose a serious security threat.