False child trafficking claim strands 44 passengers in Ujjain

Ujjain: Forty-four passengers, including 20 minors, were pulled off Antyodaya Express late Thursday night after an NGO alleged child trafficking and labour — a claim that an overnight inquiry found to be entirely false.All 44, travelling from Darbhanga to Ahmedabad were left to resume their journey the following afternoon at their own expense.The action was triggered by Vidisha Childline, an NGO that informed Women and Child Development Department that around 100 children were being trafficked on the train. A joint team of police, GRP, Labour Department and Child Development Department responded.At around 11 pm, four passengers were taken off at Ujjain for questioning —during which the train departed. Officials alerted GRP at Nagda, where the train was stopped and searched for nearly an hour. Twenty minors and their accompanying family members were taken off there, with the group later consolidated and brought to Ujjain. Overnight questioning yielded nothing."The information about child labour and trafficking was entirely false," said assistant labour commissioner Rakhi Joshi. GRP Station In-charge Amit Kumar Bhavsar confirmed that the inquiry found no evidence. By Friday afternoon, all 44 left for Ahmedabad on general tickets they bought themselves. The minors, speaking anonymously, said officials ignored their repeated explanations and were spoken to dismissively. The adults with them refused to speak to the media or be photographed.