ITANAGAR, 21 Jun: Police personnel from Siang district rescued two minor girls, aged 15 and 17, who were trafficked to Raipur in Chhattisgarh under false promises of employment made via social media.
The prime accused, a resident of Dimapur in Nagaland, who worked as a cook in Raipur, has been arrested.
The operation was launched following a complaint filed by the father of one of the girls on 10 June, after his 15-year-old daughter went missing.
A missing person report was filed, which later led to the registration of a trafficking case under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
The Child Welfare Committee (CWC) of Siang district was put on alert, Siang Superintendent of Police (SP) JK Lego said on Saturday.
Using technical surveillance, the police traced the girls to Raipur and, with help from Vidhan Sabha police station, rescued both the girls. The girls were temporarily housed at Sakhi Saheli, a government shelter in Raipur, for safety, the SP said.
A police team led by Sub-inspector Tanu Padung travelled to Raipur, took custody of the girls, and secured a transit remand for the accused.
The victims were brought back to Boleng on 20 June,where they underwent medical examination. Later they were handed over to the CWC for counselling and rehabilitation.
Investigations revealed that the accused had lured the victims via social media with fake job offers and orchestrated their journey from Boleng to Raipur, the SP said.
Further investigations are on to probe potential links to a larger trafficking network. Digital devices and financial trails are being examined to identify accomplices, the SP said.
Lego supervised the entire operation, with support from Deputy Superintendent of Police Sange Tenzin and DSP (Law & Order) Togum Gongo.
The core team included the officer-in-charge of the Boleng police station, other officers, and a lady constable.
The Siang police have urged all parents to closely monitor the online interactions of their children and remain vigilant against the threat of trafficking. (PTI)