Seven child traffickers held, 41 minors rescued

LUCKNOW - At least 41 children, who were being taken to Punjab to work as labourers, were rescued from Lucknow and Kanpur railway stations, police said Friday. Seven people have been arrested on charges of child trafficking.

The children, who hail from Bihar, were rescued by the Government Railway Police (GRP) Thursday night.

“Those arrested were escorting the children in different bogies of Amprapali Express,” Additional Director General (Railways) A.K. Jain told reporters.

“While 33 children were rescued at Lucknow station, eight were rescued from Kanpur station. Most of the children are below 14 years of age,” he added.

According to police, the seven arrested hail from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal.

They have admitted that the children were being taken to Punjab to work in restaurants, eating joints and biscuit factories.

The rescued children have been handed over to Childline - an organisation that works for child protection under the ministry of women and child development.