Assam Child Trafficking Report: From 2017 to 2022, 481 children were trafficked, with Guwahati having the highest number of victims at 77. There were 574 girls and 185 boys among the total, with 25 aged 0-5 years, 59 aged 6-10 years, 353 aged 11-15 years, and 322 aged 16-18 years.
According to reports, the number of children rescued, the purpose of trafficking, and the status of registered cases in Kamrup district totals 18.
To combat organised human trafficking, AHITUS (Anti Human Trafficking Units) have been established in each district of Assam, led by the district’s G.O and other OCS/IC, and have been operating successfully in Cach district. These AHITUS are in charge of investigating and monitoring all Human Trafficking cases in the district. The AIITUS in the districts is overseen by the SP (Anti Human Trafficking) in CID Assam. The Anti-Human Trafficking cell in CID Assam oversees major cases of human trafficking in Assam as well as other such Organized Human Trafficking cases as mentioned. Assam recorded 207 Human Trafficking cases between May 10, 2021 and December 31, 2022. In Assam, 177 human traffickers were apprehended, and 368 victims were rescued.
Assam: BSF’s Anti Human Trafficking Unit rescued a minor girl following inputs that she was forcibly taken from Dimapur, Nagaland & kept at Karimganj. The accused fled. She was handed over to Child Welfare Committee & will be further handed over to Women Welfare Center, Dimapur.
— ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2021
The Assam Assembly was informed on Tuesday that 481 children were trafficked from various parts of Assam in the five years since 2017.
In response to a question from BJP MLA Diganta Kalita during Question Hour, Women and Child Development Minister Ajanta Neog stated that the government is taking various measures to prevent child trafficking in the state.
She informed the House that 481 children were trafficked between 2017 and 2022, with the highest number of 77 children being trafficked from Guwahati.
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There were 574 girls and 185 boys among the total, with 25 aged 0-5 years, 59 aged 6-10 years, 353 aged 11-15 years, and 322 aged 16-18 years.
She also stated that 759 children have gone missing since 2017, with 666 of them rescued.
“We are taking a number of steps to save the remaining 93 children.” Senior police officers are involved in the investigation,” the minister stated.
To investigate trafficking cases, the government has filed cases under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act of 1956 and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses Act of 2012.
Assam to introduce law to check human trafficking
In 2022, Assam’s government intends to pass legislation to combat human trafficking, according to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
According to data from the National Crime Records Bureau for 2021, Assam reported 203 cases of human trafficking last year, ranking third in the country after Telangana (347) and Maharashtra (320). A total of 460 people were trafficked from the state.
“It is believed that human trafficking occurs when a child is taken outside the state for employment. “However, I believe that separating children under the age of 14 from their parents to work as domestic help in other districts or towns of the state is also a form of human trafficking,” Sarma said.
He added that the proposed law will regulate the hiring of domestic workers and those who hire them in order to combat human trafficking. “…employers will have to register the details of their domestic workers with the nearest police station and will also be responsible for providing them with education and health care,” Sarma explained.
