Uttarakhand police alert on human trafficking from Nepal border

DEHRADUN/PITHORGARH: The

rescue

of 27

Nepali

nationals, including 3

women

, in separate

raids

in border area of Banbasa in Champavat district during the last one week has once again brought the issue of human trafficking.

Uttarakhand

shares a 273-km long border with Nepal and the major entry point of Banbasa is turning out to be the key route for trafficking.


The anti-human trafficking team led by sub-inspector Manju Pandey rescued the 27 persons. On June 17, the team rescued a Nepalese woman. On June 22, the team spotted 20 labourers in a vehicle. On being questioned they failed to provide any information and said that they were moving towards Rudrapur in search of job.


In another incident the anti human trafficking unit rescued four children from a vehicle om June 21. After the questioning the four minors were handed over to a NGO working for anti-human trafficking in Nepal.
Pandey said, “We are vigilant on the border and the best possible effort is made to prevent human trafficking in the region. As a result, we were successful in rescuing 27 people in a short span of a week.”
Meanwhile, senior police officers at Dehradun, maintained that major steps have been initiated to check human trafficking in Uttarakhand.


Mamta Vohra, who is heading the state anti-human trafficking cell, told TOI, “In most cases it is trafficking of women. There have been cases when the act was being done on the permission of the woman.” She pointed out that the first anti-human trafficking cell in the state was opened in Chapawat. “Porous border with Nepal make the task difficult for our team in areas adjoining the neighbouring country but our teams are working hard to track those responsible for the crime and to rescue the victims,” added Vohra.She denied that human trafficking was rampant in the state but admitted that cases of such natures have been reported in the state in the last few years.

Anti-human trafficking cell of Uttarakhand:
Formed in: 2011
Total units: 7 (Dehradun, Champawat, Haridwar, Uttarkashi, Pithoragarh, Haldwani, Pauri)
First unit: Champawat
Total number of cases: 68
Total rescued: 77 (8 boys, 31 girls, 2 males, 36 women)
Total arrest: 276 (189 males, 87 women)