Kolkata: Railway Protection Force (RPF) freed six people including five minor girls from the clutches of smugglers from Howrah station. It is told that all the people who were freed are residents of Dumka district of Jharkhand. All the children belong to economically weak families. The smugglers were about to board the 22877 Howrah-Ernakulam Antyodaya Express with the children. Even before that two members of the smugglers gang were arrested. They have been identified as Ravi Shankar Dehari (19 years) and Saidiqul Islam (25 years). Ravi Shankar is a resident of Khajur village in Dumka district of Jharkhand, while Saidikul Islam is said to be a resident of Shamsherganj police station area of ​​Murshidabad district of West Bengal. RPF has made Saidiqul Islam the main accused.
RPF got suspicious like this
According to information received from RPF sources, Saidiqul Islam used to collect children from poor families of West Bengal and Jharkhand. Then the children were sent to other states by train from Howrah station. Ravi Shankar was working as his assistant. The accused were nabbed from platform number 17 in a campaign launched by Railway Protection Force South Post. Howrah RPF’s South Post Inspector Arvind Kumar told that on Saturday afternoon at 12.30 pm two people were seen in suspicious condition along with six children on platform number 17. When questioned by RPF officials, the children disclosed that Saidiqul Islam and Ravi Shankar were taking them to Bikaner city of Rajasthan to get them jobs.
Were smuggling in Rajasthan
Inspector Arvind Kumar said that according to the information received, the smugglers were going to supply children to two persons named Rajendra Dehari and Safijul, living in Vijaywada, Rajasthan. There the children were to be used as laborers and in other works. Following the incident, a case has been registered by Railway Government Police Howrah against Saiddikul and Ravishankar Dehari along with two other persons from Vijayawada. A case has been registered against the accused under 69/23 u/s- 363/365/188/120 (B) IPC and 14 Child Labor Prevention Act. All the children have been handed over to CWC/Liluah-Howrah through child helpline before further action.