Delhi High Court Decries National Capital as 'Mandi' for Child Trafficking
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday expressed profound dismay, stating that the national capital has transformed into a "mandi" (market) for child trafficking. A bench comprising Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia issued formal notices to Indian Railways, Delhi Police, the Delhi government, and the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the Just Rights for Children Alliance.
Judicial Concern Over Unabated Menace
The court observed that the scourge of child trafficking continues "unabated" despite previous judicial directives. It emphasized the urgent need for concrete data to formulate effective interventions. The bench remarked, "Delhi has become a mandi now for child trafficking, and for ascertaining this fact, you need not go through the petition. Just roam around the railway stations for two hours." This stark observation underscores the visible and pervasive nature of the crisis in public spaces.
PIL Highlights Systemic Failures and Alarming Statistics
Advocate Prabhsahay Kaur, representing the petitioner, presented alarming statistics, revealing that the Railway Protection Force rescued over 84,000 children from railway premises between 2018 and 2024. She cited a distressing incident where a girl rescued from Anand Vihar Railway Station was erroneously handed back to traffickers instead of being presented before the Child Welfare Committee, necessitating a subsequent raid for her recovery.
The petition detailed that while the Ministry of Railways and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) have established Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for identifying, rescuing, and rehabilitating victimized children, authorities are allegedly acting in "gross violation" of these protocols. This non-compliance, the plea argues, leads to a miscarriage of justice and perpetuates the cycle of trafficking.
Court Directs for Data and Proposes Solutions
The High Court has directed the NCPCR to provide comprehensive data and suggestions to enable the issuance of appropriate judicial directions. The case has been scheduled for further hearing on July 10. The bench noted that although measures have been adopted by authorities, including the railways, to curb trafficking, the situation remains unchanged due to a lack of effective implementation and enforcement.
The PIL seeks strict adherence to the existing SOPs and urges the court to mandate that rescued children are properly rehabilitated and protected from re-trafficking. This call to action highlights the critical gap between policy formulation and on-ground execution, demanding accountability and swift corrective measures from all concerned agencies.
