Himachal: Two arrested for child trafficking in Hamirpur; 2 minors rescued

Police have arrested two persons including a woman in connection with a child trafficking case here, an official said on Thursday. On Tuesday, the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) received a complaint through its helpline, following which police conducted a raid and safely rescued two minors and arrested one Dulari Devi, a native of Jharkhand. During preliminary investigation, it was revealed that Dulari Devi had brought five minors from Jharkhand at the behest of one Kuldeep Kumar, a resident of Jahu in Hamirpur district. It is suspected that these children were sold or sent to different districts to be engaged in child labour, and search is underway to trace the remaining children, police said. The police subsequently arrested Kuldeep Kumar. A case of human trafficking has been lodged in this connection under section 143 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Superintendent of Police Balveer Singh Thakur said an FIR has been registered under relevant sections and the accused woman is being interrogated to determine the whereabouts of the remaining children. Investigation is on to identify others involved in the child trafficking operation, he added.