Imphal, September 04, 2010: Police in Bishnupur district, where maximum case of child trafficking incidents reported, has submitted charge-sheets against two persons arrested as alleged accused in a child trafficking case registered with the Loktak Project Police Station in 2008. Additional SP of Bishnupur District Police, Isaq Shah informed the matter of submitting the charge-sheet to the court for trial in the case to a visiting fact finding team of Coalition of Children Rights to Protection (CCRP) in Bishnupur district today.

While having interaction the fact finding team, the Additional SP admitted that among the four valley districts of the state, Bishnupur district has the highest rate of child trafficking but police could not initiate any of the case effectively to punish the culprits as when investigated in the case, it appeared that the child were taken away by the alleged accused persons with the consent of their parents.

If police happened to take up the cases following complaints lodged by the families or relatives and punish the culprits, the menace of child trafficking could have been under control, he suggested.

He further said that under the relevant act of the child trafficking, Loktak Police of the district taken up a case under FIR no.10 (7)08 in 2008 and arrested two persons allegedly involved in the trafficking of child.

Police had completed the investigation into the case and submitted charge-sheet for trial in the court.

But, most important, according to the additional SP, is that leaving aside the mass awareness campaign to the people, even the police officers concerns do not know Juvenile Justice Act and Acts related with child trafficking and prevention.

There is the need of imparting training to the police officers of different ranks like inspectors, sub-inspectors, and assistant sub-inspectors who are in the field in collaboration with the social welfare department, the additional SP opined.

While supporting to the revelations of the additional SP, Isaq Shah, coordinator Athokpam Chinglemba of CCRP said the lack of awareness to the mass, even to the government officials and non-setting up of observation homes, shelter homes and foster centres for the children victims has indicated that government is lack of taking initiative to control child trafficking.

As the child trafficking is increasing at alarming rates, to take up appropriate actions by the government is a must, he added.

Members of the Child Welfare Committee, Bishnupur district revealed that 6 0 children were victims of 10 cases of child traffic in the recent time in the district.

However, except in one incident, police registered no case in other incidents and in most of the cases pastors of Christian religion involved, they added. In Bishnupur district, except a children home at Moirang runs by an NGO, no other, where it may be run by government or NGO is there.

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