Bankura child trafficking: One more nabbed

KOLKATA: On a day when a team from West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights—led by its chairman Ananya Chakraborti— visited the home in Bankura where the rescued children are presently lodged, the police arrested another person in connection with the child trafficking case that was unearthed on Sunday night. In connection to the case, a 57-year-old principal and one of his female colleagues at a Central government school in Bankura and six others were arrested. Earlier, it had been alleged that the principal was connected to a BJP MP in the state.

Police sources claimed that the arrested person Bikash Gupta acted as a linkman in the matter. "We have examined the medical reports of the three girls and two boys, aged between nine months and six years who have been rescued and also met with them abiding COVID-19 protocols. They are all keeping well," Chakraborti said. Condemning the incident, she reiterated that the society holds a high esteem for a headmaster and when such persons are embroiled in these cases, the situation gets very distressing and unfortunate.

Before visiting the home, the team of Child Rights held a meeting with officials of the district administration and police at circuit house in Bankura and learnt about the development in the case.

State minister for Women & Child Development and Social Welfare Shashi Panja said she was keeping in touch with the Superintendent of Police Bankura to learn about the development in investigation.

Panja alleged that the accused principal of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (Bankura), Kamal Kumar Rajoria, who was arrested, was well- connected with BJP MP Subhas Sarkar. Trinamool Congress leader Sayantika Banerjee, who had contested on Bankura seat during the last assembly elections, said the police had already started a thorough investigation and she was hopeful that the offenders would be punished.

"Children are not like a commodity and cannot be bought in exchange for money. There are legal procedures for adoption and a person who wants to adopt should follow the same,"Banerjee said. It had been alleged that the trafficked children were being sold to childless couples in exchange for money.