The Railway Protection Force plays a major role in helping and rescuing minors and for this they conduct drives and remain alert. The RPF of the Northeast Frontier Railway during such exercises conducted between September 8 and 17 rescued 23 minors.

Apart from these minors who were found in different trains and at railways stations, the RPF personnel also apprehended a person who is involved in human trafficking.

Among the stations where checking for minors was conducted were New Bongaigaon, New Jalpaiguri, Jalpaiguri Road, Samsi, Badarpur, Barsoi, Rangiya, Katihar and Dimapur.

The RPF at Rangiya station during its regular check found a runaway minor boy and girl. These minors were later handed over to the Fatima Balika Dayadham, Rangiya for safe custody. On September 9, a RPF escort party of Maligaon rescued four runaway minor boys from Train No. 22449 running from Guwahati to New Delhi at New Bongaigaon railway station. These kids were later handed over to Birjhora Children Home, Bongaigaon for further course of action.

During the midnight of September 8 and 9, the RPF at Samsi acting on tip-off conducted a search operation in Train No. 13034, Katihar-Howrah Express for a suspected human trafficker. Not only were they able to apprehend the human trafficker but also rescued a minor girl from his custody. The trafficker and the minor girl were later handed over to Government Railway Police at Malda Town for further action.

The RPF of NFR in August had rescued 70 minor boys and girls and three women and arrested one kidnapper.

All these arrests were possible because of RPF’s drives and their remaining alert for suspected persons involved in human trafficking and children who are travelling alone, without proper guardians or are moving in a suspicious manner.