Nineteen children were rescued from multiple districts of Arunachal Pradesh and three suspected brokers arrested in a crackdown on an alleged child‑trafficking network, police said on Tuesday, August 25. The case was registered at Namsai police station on August 17 after a complaint from the district’s Child Welfare Committee (CWC), officials added.
The rescued minors were traced to Mechuka in Shi‑Yomi district, Aalo in West Siang, Pasighat in East Siang, Naharlagun, Itanagar and Longding. Considering the inter‑district nature of the operation, police have formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to carry out a detailed probe into the suspected network.
Preliminary inquiries indicate that intermediaries approached economically vulnerable families with promises of better education and care for their children. The children were then allegedly taken from their families and placed with individuals in distant locations, the police said.
Namsai Superintendent of Police Sange Thinley said most of the rescued children are under eight years old, with the youngest around three. He added that investigations have revealed suspected monetary transactions involving some intermediaries and parents. “Police have also uncovered suspected monetary transactions ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 50,000 per child,” he said.
According to the police, the rescued children were allegedly employed in domestic work and at hotels. The statements of the children have been recorded before a magistrate as part of ongoing legal procedures.
The SIT is examining financial records, digital evidence and call details to identify other members of the suspected network and determine the full extent of the operation. Police have appealed to the public to share information about any children who may have been placed in similar circumstances as the investigation continues.
