167 Muslim students headed to Maharashtra were deboarded at Katni station

Patna/ Katni, 12 April (Agency/ ABN). 167 Muslim children heading to Maharashtra were rescued from the Patna-Pune Express at Katni railway station in Madhya Pradesh late on Saturday night. The operation, based on a tip-off, has raised suspicions of human trafficking. The Child Welfare Committee and Railway Police have accommodated the children at a Child Protection Home and are investigating the matter.

Actually, late on Saturday night, the Department of Women and Child Development and RPF received information from a social organization that a large number of children aged 7-15 were being taken to Maharashtra on the Patna-Pune train, raising concerns about human trafficking. Considering the gravity of the situation, officers and employees from the Railway Protection Force (RPF), GRPF, Department of Women and Child Development, and Child Protection Officers rushed to the spot. As the train arrived at Katni station, all the children were taken down from the train and put under surveillance. A total of 167 children were taken down from the train and counseling was provided to them.

Katni RPF station in-charge Veerendra Singh said on Sunday that they had received information that a large number of children were being taken on the Patna-Pune Express under suspicious circumstances. As the train arrived at platform number three of Katni station, a joint team of RPF, GRP, Department of Women and Child Development, and Child Protection officers surrounded the train. The team then safely took down all 167 children from the coaches. The rescued children were traveling in S-1, S-2, S-3, S-4, and S-7 coaches of the train. During questioning, it was revealed that most of the children were from Bihar.

RPF station in-charge Veerendra Singh said that a person named Saddam, who was accompanying the children, claimed that he was taking them to a madrasa in Latur, Maharashtra, from Araria in Bihar. He said he had been taking children to the madrasa for the past 10 years, and the institution provided education in all subjects. The administration is verifying the authenticity of the claim and checking the legal documents.

He said that 80 children have been kept at a child home in Jabalpur, while the rest are at a child home in Katni. The security of the children is our priority. Until we contact the guardians of each child and clarify the reason for their transfer, they will be kept under administrative supervision. Action will be taken if any irregularity is found.

Child Protection Officer Manish Tiwari said that most of the children taken down from the train were Muslims. The department had received information that these children were being taken to Maharashtra for labor or other illegal work. Considering the gravity of the situation, all the children have been taken to the RPF station, where counseling is being provided. A team from the Department of Women and Child Development is verifying the documents of the children's families and their place of residence. The district administration is investigating every aspect, especially the suspicion of human trafficking.

It is worth noting that for several years, the administration and individuals with communal mindset have been mistreating students going to madrasas, which has complicated the matter. Last year, several trains carrying students to madrasas were also stopped, and the children were taken down, but after strong protests from Muslim organizations, they were released from child homes.

These poor children, who travel to other states for education with their local teachers, are often harassed by GRPF and RPF personnel, leading to such incidents. The madrasa opens in the month of Shawwal, where children go to acquire education. Officers say that since these are minor children, they have to take action.