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Key Points

An alarming human trafficking racket targeting women from North Bengal's vulnerable tea garden communities has been uncovered by local police. Authorities have successfully rescued 90 women who were being transported to other states under false job promises. The investigation reveals a sophisticated network involving fake NGOs and multiple transportation methods to exploit young women. Police have already arrested three suspects and are continuing their efforts to dismantle this interstate trafficking operation.

Key Points: North Bengal Women Trafficking Racket Exposed in Siliguri Bust

  • 90 women rescued from potential trafficking in six days
  • Traffickers targeting vulnerable women from closed tea garden regions
  • Fake NGOs used to lure victims with false job promises
  • Arrests made including members from Siliguri and Dooars region
2 min read

Human trafficking racket targeting women from North Bengal becomes major concern for police

Police uncover organized human trafficking network targeting vulnerable women from closed tea garden areas in North Bengal, rescuing 90 women

"We suspect that an organised interstate women trafficking ring is involved - B.D. Sarkar, Pradhannagar Police Station Inspector"

Kolkata, July 28

An organised human trafficking network operating in North Bengal -- specifically targeting young women from areas near several closed tea gardens -- has emerged as a major challenge for the West Bengal police.

Over the last six days, authorities have rescued 90 women from the prime township in North Bengal, Siliguri in Darjeeling district, before they were trafficked. What is intriguing is that the traffickers are frequently changing their modes of transportation for getting these women trafficked to other states.

The investigating officers are also probing the involvement of fake voluntary and non-government organisations, which had been running offices in these areas, posing as organisations promising social and economic welfare of vulnerable women from the closed tea garden area.

The latest rescue took place on Sunday night, when Siliguri City Police intercepted a private luxury bus and saved 34 women before they could be trafficked to other states.

There people, including a woman, have been arrested in this connection.

"The arrested persons are identified as Gautam Roy, a resident of Siliguri, Petrus Beck, a resident of Meteli in Dooars, and Jayshree Pal, a resident of Bhaktinagar in Siliguri. They tried to smuggle 34 women in a private luxury bus from Siliguri bus stand," said an official of Pradhannagar Police Station under Siliguri City Police on Monday morning.

The police investigations have revealed that the women were first taken to Ranchi in Jharkhand by a bus, and from there they were to be taken to Tamil Nadu by a train.

"The traffickers used to get Rs 4,000 per young woman. These rescued women are mainly residents of Kalchini in Alipurduar district. Like the previous instance, the traffickers lured them with job offers in an electronics company in Bangalore, the official said.

Pradhannagar Police Station Inspector in Charge B.D. Sarkar said these women have been rescued and taken to a safe place. "Their families have been informed. Everything is being investigated. We suspect that an organised interstate women trafficking ring is involved behind this," he added.

The fresh rescue happened just six days after 56 women were rescued from New Jalpaiguri railway station in north Bengal by the Railways Protection Force (RPF) and General Railway Police (GRP).

In the previous rescue last week, the cops arrested one individual, Virendra Pratap Singh, the project director of the 'Durg Education and Charitable Society', reportedly a fake NGO.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Why are these fake NGOs still operating? Government should make stricter verification process before allowing any organization to work in sensitive areas. This has been going on for too long!
A
Aman W
The police deserve praise for these rescues, but I wonder how many women have already been trafficked before they caught this racket. Need better intelligence gathering in border areas.
S
Shreya B
Heartbreaking to see our sisters being treated like commodities. ₹4000 per woman? This shows how little value these criminals place on human life. We need harsher punishments for traffickers!
V
Vikram M
While the police action is commendable, I must say the state government has failed to provide alternative employment in tea garden areas. Desperation makes people vulnerable to such scams.
K
Kavya N
The involvement of a woman (Jayshree Pal) in this racket is particularly disturbing. How can someone betray their own gender like this? 😔 We need more women police officers in these operations.
D
David E
As someone working with anti-trafficking NGOs, I can say this is just the tip of the iceberg. These networks operate across state borders with political protection. Need a national task force to combat this.

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