In a significant crackdown on child trafficking, a joint team comprising the Railway Protection Force (RPF), Child Line helpline, and NGO Srishti Seva Sansthan successfully rescued twenty-two children at Dungarpur railway station in Rajasthan on Wednesday. The minors were allegedly being transported to Gujarat for potential labour work.
Coordinated Rescue Operation at the Station
The operation unfolded when an RPF team, conducting routine checks on the Udaipur City–Asarwa Express train, noticed a group of children in an abandoned state at the station. Acting swiftly on suspicion, the officials alerted the Child Line helpline. A collaborative team from Child Line, Srishti Seva Sansthan, RPF, and the Government Railway Police (GRP) immediately reached the spot.
Three men accompanying the children—identified as Jaychand Raut (35), Sanjay Kumar Raut (24), and Ashish Parmar (24), all residents of Dungarpur—were taken into custody. Two of them had attempted to flee but were apprehended. During interrogation, the detained agents revealed they had gathered the children from various areas in Dungarpur district. Their plan was to take the group to Prantij, near Himmatnagar in Gujarat, for catering work at a wedding ceremony. They were awaiting the train from Chittorgarh to Asarwa (Gujarat) at the time of the intervention.
Immediate Action and Safeguarding of Minors
Recognizing the serious nature of the case, which pointed towards child labour and trafficking, authorities moved all twenty-two children to the station master's office for their safety. The Child Line helpline was formally informed, initiating the child protection protocol.
All rescued minors were subsequently placed in the custody of Child Line representatives. A formal report was submitted to the GRP Dungarpur for necessary legal action. The GRP then presented the children before the Child Welfare Committee in Dungarpur. Following the committee's orders, the minors were sent to a government juvenile home. This step ensures their immediate safety, provides proper nutrition, and facilitates required health checkups.
Investigation Expands Under 'Operation Aahat'
This rescue was part of 'Operation Aahat,' a targeted drive against child labour and trafficking, conducted under the direction of the RPF's divisional security commissioner in Ajmer. Mehul Sharma, coordinator of the Child Line helpline operated by the child empowerment department in Dungarpur, confirmed the sequence of events.
"Information was received from RPF at Dungarpur station that some children had arrived there and it was suspected they were being taken to Gujarat for child labour," Sharma stated. The GRP Dungarpur has now widened its investigation. Based on information from the three detained agents, the probe is looking into five other individuals suspected of being involved in the network responsible for transporting the children.
The successful interception highlights the critical role of inter-agency coordination and vigilant monitoring in combating the scourge of child trafficking in the region.
