Koraput: 21 Minors Rescued from Alleged Trafficking Operation; 3 Middlemen Arrested

Koraput: Police have rescued as many as 21 minors in Koraput, comprising 17 girls and 4 boys, who were allegedly being trafficked for labour. The rescue operation took place on Friday night when Semiliguda police, during a routine vehicle check at Damanjodi Chowk, identified the children waiting for a bus.

All 21 minors have been safely handed over to the Child Welfare Committee. The group, hailing from Narayanpatana, Kakarigumma, and Damanjodi, had reportedly been enticed by middlemen promising Rs 500 per day for manual paddy harvesting.

Upon receiving information about the children at the bus stand, the police acted swiftly, preventing their departure. Three middlemen involved in transporting the minors were apprehended. The accused are scheduled to be presented in court today, according to official sources. IIC Sachindra Pradhan affirmed, “The three accused persons have been arrested and will be produced in court today. The children have been handed over to the Child Welfare Committee.”