Jaipur: A collaborative effort involving the Railway Protection Force (RPF), Child Line, and Srishti Seva Sansthan led to the rescue of 22 minors at Dungarpur railway station in Rajasthan. These children were reportedly being trafficked to Gujarat for work in catering services.

Officials confirmed that three agents responsible for the trafficking were apprehended during the operation.

The agents had collected the minors from various villages in Dungarpur district and intended to transport them by train via Chittorgarh to Asarwa, Gujarat.

Child Line representatives from the Department of Child Rights stated that the rescue operation was initiated following a tip-off from the RPF, which indicated that a group of children was suspected to be on their way for illegal labor.

A joint team, including personnel from Child Line, Srishti Seva Sansthan, RPF, and GRP, quickly arrived at the station to verify the situation.

Upon the team's arrival, the agents attempted to flee. When questioned, they initially denied any connection to the children, later trying to mislead the officials by claiming to be relatives or stating that the group was on a picnic. However, individual interviews with the minors revealed their true situation — they were being taken out of the state for labor purposes.

In total, 27 individuals were stopped for questioning. After verifying their ages, 22 were confirmed as minors aged between 11 and 18, while five were adults. The detained agents were identified as Jaichand, Ashish, and Sanjay, with the children hailing from the villages of Jhothari, Bedsa, Simalwara, and Mewada in Dungarpur.

The rescued minors were subsequently presented to the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), which mandated their placement in a child care facility.

The committee also instructed authorities to pursue stringent legal action against the agents involved in trafficking and illegal child labor. Investigations are ongoing to uncover the broader network behind this trafficking attempt.