3 Missing minor rescued; Child Rights Activist says the 3 minors are "victims of circumstances"
Source: IT News
Imphal, August 18 2019:
State police team led by Officer in charge of Imphal West Police station N Ingocha rescued three minors who were reported missing from Bishnupur district around noon yesterday from Moirangkhom area in Imphal West District.
Interestingly, the minors were brought to Imphal by two persons promising them job and money at Tamenglong district.
Child Rights activist Montu Ahanthem, who is also the Convenor of Manipur Alliance for Child Rights said that the three are victims of circumstances.
He thanked the police team, members of the CWC, Child Line and members of the MACR for their co-ordination in rescuing the three minors.
Report said that, police team on duty at Moirangkhom area found a girl fainting at the area while getting down from an auto rickshaw.
The matter was reported to higher authority and as OC of Imphal West, N.Ingocha rushed to the site and he found the girl who fainted to have a similar look with a girl who was reported missing from Bishnupur district a day earlier.
Earlier, MACR Bishnupur district had reported about the missing of 2 minor girls and a minor boy on the intervening night of August 15 and 16 to the Bishnupur police station.
The photo of the three minors were uploaded to the Manipur Anti-Human Trafficking Group.
Two men identified as Malemnganba and Raju reportedly brought the three minors.
When the police team rushed and identified the minor girls as those reported missing the two persons reportedly fled.
OC Ingocha and his team immediately took the three minors to Child Friendly Police station, Lamphel.
Later, after the minors were handed over to CWC and MACR members which later handed over to the Bishnupur district committee.
When the police enquired on how the 3 minors came to Imphal, the girls (age nearly 14 years) said that they were called out on the evening of August 15 to help a person who seems to be lost somewhere at Moirang area.
The person who reportedly lost his way happened to be a husband of a girl whom the minor girl knew.
And what is more interesting is that the boy who lost his way had some misunderstanding with his wife and had been staying separately for some times.
As he came the locals of the area reportedly chase for him and he finally lost his way.
As he lost his way the minor girls whom happened to be known to them came out to help along with a nine years old minor boy.
The scene turn ugly with people shouting to forcibly married them (Keina Katpa).
Out of fear the three minor fled with the person.
Later two persons identified as Malemnganba and Raju took them and brought them to Imphal.
On being questioned to the minor children, they told that they were promise money and jobs at Tamenglong district.
As the motive of the two persons who brought them is clear enough as that of child trafficking Bishnupur police had registered a case under human trafficking act.
The three minors were handed over to their respective parents by the MACR, CWC, Child Line Bishnupur and the Bishnupur Police.
Source from Bishnupur said that both Malemnganba and Raju have been arrested by the Bishnupur district police team.
The two will be produced before JJB as their Aadhaar card shows their age as minor.
However, one among them stated that his age was wrongly enrolled in his Aadhaar card and that he is 20 years old.
Police team are investigating over the matter.
Meanwhile, The Manipur Alliance for Child Rights (MACR) in partnership with Child Rights and You (CRY) extends its heartfelt thankfulness to Manipur Police and all its member partner who took different roles and succeeded in rescuing the two young girls and a young boy hailing from Bishnupur District, Manipur.
A statement by Montu Ahanthem, Convenor, MACR said that looking to the past incidence there is a urgent need to adopt the Draft 'State policy for children 2018" by the Sate Cabinet at the earliest.
The incident has proven beyond doubts that the Manipur Police has once again proven its outstanding capacity to carry out the rescue operation of the three children as and when calls for, so swiftly, despite pre engaged with their various assignments in coordination with various agencies working in the field of Child Rights.
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