RPF arrests 45 human traffickers in 10 months

Kolkata: The Railway Protection Force (RPF) of Eastern Railway (ER) has arrested 45 human traffickers and rescued 976 children in need of care and protection between January and October 2025, as part of its ongoing operations against human trafficking and child exploitation.

According to ER officials, the operations were carried out under two major initiatives — Operation AAHT (Action Against Human Trafficking) and Operation Nanhe Faristey. Under Operation AAHT, the RPF detected 23 cases and rescued 108 trafficked individuals, including 92 juveniles and 16 adults, while arresting 45 traffickers across the Howrah, Sealdah, Asansol and Malda divisions.

During the same period, under Operation Nanhe Faristey, the RPF rescued 976 children — 591 boys and 385 girls — from trains and railway premises. The Howrah Division accounted for the highest number of rescues with 389 children, followed by Asansol with 280, Malda with 191 and Sealdah with 116.

All rescued children were handed over to the Child Helpline and Child Welfare Committees for proper care and rehabilitation.