Human Trafficking: RPF detains 5 minor girls

BHUBANESWAR: Suspecting human trafficking, five minor girls from Bhadrak were rescued by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) of Bhubaneswar station on Tuesday.  The RPF swung into action after receiving a call about the five minor girls travelling in Baripada-Bhubaneswar Intercity accompanied by a boy. Inspector in-Charge Varun Behera with a team reached platform no.4 to inspect the train and found five girls, aged between 12 and 17, and an 18-year-old boy. When the five failed to give a satisfactory reason for their travel, police detained them. During questioning it was found that a man, Babu Rout,  from an area under Tihidi police limits of Bhadrak district was allegedly sending them to Madurai, Tamil Nadu, to work in a nut and bolt factory. They were told that they would be paid ` 4,500 a month. Dissatisfied with the reasoning, the girls were cross-examined further during which one of the them protested their detention. According to Behera, the girls had no clue as to where they were going and what kind of work they would be given. It was the boy accompanying them who was answering all the questions on their behalf. It was later found that the middleman accompanying them had escaped on seeing the police officials. The police have informed the parents, who were unaware of the entire thing. “We suspect a sex racket as it was not usual for the girls to be working in a labour- intensive factory. We will get to more only after questioning their parents, who have been called,” said Behera.