[ Bengia Ajum ]
ITANAGAR, 1 Apr: The women police station (WPS) here on Wednesday rescued three minor girls from Harmuti in Assam. The girls had gone missing from the Jullang area on Monday.
The parents of the three girls had lodged an FIR,stating that their minor daughters, aged 12, 13, and 15 years, had gone missing from their home since Monday.
Sharing details of the case, Itanagar SP Jummar Basarinformed that, after receiving the FIR, a team of the WPS visited the homes of the girls and later conducted searches across suspected locations in the capital region, and examined smart city CCTV footages. Based on human intelligence and technical surveillance, the team developed credible inputs regarding the presence of the missing girls near the Harmuti-Banderdewa area.
“Soon, a team of the WPS, along with CRPF personnel, rushed to the suspected location in Harmuti. Owing to the timely intervention and sustained efforts of the team, all three minor girls were successfully rescued, and a juvenile suspect was apprehended,” informed SP Basar.
As per the initial investigation, the juvenile suspect, who is from Assam, had established contact with the victims through social media, lured them from their homes, and kept them in a PG accommodation in Itanagar for one night. Of the three girls, two are locals, and one is a non-APST.
“Subsequently, he transported them on a hired scooter to Harmuti, where they were again confined in another PG accommodation. The victims further disclosed that they were likely to be taken to Guwahati. The swift and decisive action of the police team averted any further movement and prevented a potentially grave crime,” said the SP.
A case has been registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and further investigation is underway. The rescued girls have undergone medical examination and have been safely handed over to their parents.
The juvenile involved has been apprehended, added the SP.
The operation was carried out by a WPS team comprising Inspector Nich Rupa, Enquiry Officer Dopi Pakam, Lady Constables Arty Degu and Techi Mekap, and Constable Arun Singh, along with CRPF personnel, under the supervision of the capital SP and the Itanagar SDPO.
SP Basar appealed to all parents, guardians, and children to remain vigilant against the growing threat of online grooming and manipulation. “Offenders are increasingly misusing social media platforms to establish contact with minors and lure them into dangerous situations,” he added.
