Bhojpuri singer held for trafficking The Hindu January 24, 2012

DEVESH PANDEY / THE HINDU

A small-time Bhojpuri singer has been arrested along with an accomplice and a woman brothel-owner for allegedly trafficking a minor girl from Karnataka to the Capital for prostitution. Four girls, including two minors, were rescued during the operation.

The racket was unearthed after, at the instance of the Karnataka Police, a sister of one of the girls recently sold to the brothel-owner named Jyoti called her up claiming that she also wanted to be initiated into prostitution as she had no source of livelihood, nor anyone to take care of her. Jyoti fell into the trap and gave the girl the contact number of a human trafficker named Venkatesh who operated from Bangalore.

The police developed the lead, laid a trap at a railway station from where the suspect was to board a train to Delhi along with a minor girl and nabbed him. At his instance, and in coordination with the local police and non-government organisation Shakti Vahini, the team arrested another alleged trafficker, Allauddin, at Shastri Park in the trans-Yamuna area of Delhi on Sunday.

During interrogation, Allauddin allegedly claimed that he was a Bhojpuri singer and had recently released an album. The accused disclosed that he had been operating for the past 18 months and would by himself or through Venkatesh bring girls from Karnataka to sell them off to Jyoti. The accused lured the victims on the pretext of good jobs.

At his instance, the police raided the brothel on G. B. Road and rescued three girls, including a minor. The brothel-owner was subsequently arrested. The victims disclosed that they were physically tortured by her.

The victims were produced before the Mayur Vihar Child Welfare Committee that granted their temporary custody to the Karnataka Police for their restoration to respective families following mandatory procedures.

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-newdelhi/article2827144.ece

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NGO's role in human trafficking being probed

Devesh K. Pandey

Investigations into a recent human trafficking network smashed with the rescue of four minor girls at Old Delhi railway station have indicated involvement of an alleged human trafficker who was apparently an office-bearer of a non-government organisation whose role is also being probed on the direction of a Child Welfare Committee.

Munna Jaiswal alias Munna Choudhry, who is from Udalguri in Assam, is suspected to be involved in several human trafficking cases. He was previously booked and arrested in a joint operation of the Delhi Police and their Assam counterparts last July. The website of an NGO, which is now under police scanner for alleged links with human traffickers, earlier mentioned Munna’s name as its vice-president.

“There is a series of serious charges against him. In fact, his name also cropped up in a report submitted to the Delhi Police Crime Branch on people running human trafficking rackets in the garb of NGOs operating in different parts of the Capital. The report listed about 50 such NGOs and nearly 500 victims,” said a police officer. The accused earlier ran one Rajdhani Placement Service in Rajouri Garden.

According to Rishi Kant of NGO Shakti Vahini, the minors who were rescued at the Old Delhi railway station were brought from Jharkhand on board Tata-Muri Express train on the pretext of jobs through an illegally-run agency named Pooja Placement Services in New Friends Colony. “The traffickers, Karmi Lokra and Saraswati Devi, claimed themselves to be workers of an NGO. The rescue operation was carried out by the Government Railway Police,” he said.

After Shakti Vahini brought these facts before the Kingsway Camp CWC, the Committee directed the Nihal Vihar Station House Officer to probe the role of the NGO in question and submit a report within a week. “Investigations into Munna Choudhry’s suspected complicity in other cases may lead the police to unearth several other such rackets,” added Mr. Kant.

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-newdelhi/article2816212.ece

CHILDREN RESCUED FROM SEX ABUSE IN A JOINT RAID BY SHAKTI VAHINI AND NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR PROTECTION OF CHILD RIGHTS

Sunit Dhawan/TNS

Gurgaon, January 18

The son of an NGO president has been accused of sexually exploiting HIV-affected girl inmates of a protection home maintained by the NGO. During a raid conducted on the NGO premises yesterday, two girl inmates, aged 12 and 14 years, alleged that they had been sexually exploited by the accused. The counselling of the other inmates was on till the time of filing this report.

One of the victims is HIV-positive herself, while the other was staying at the protection home as her parents were HIV-infected. Since the accused is HIV-positive, there is a strong possibility of the HIV-negative girl having contracted the HIV infection. Her blood samples have been sent for pathological examination.

The matter pertains to Drone Foundation, an NGO which claims to support HIV-affected orphan children and is based at Maruti Kunj in Bhondsi near here. The protection home of the NGO housed nearly 15 inmates, including adolescent boys and girls.

Ankur Gupta, the son of NGO president Sunita Gupta and board member of the NGO himself, allegedly used to sexually exploit some inmates. Ankur is also stated to be HIV-positive. He also allegedly threatened them with dire consequences in case they revealed the matter before anybody.

A couple of girls approached the NGO president and apprised her of the matter, but to no avail. Rather, the girls were allegedly warned against disclosing the matter.

Finally, Bobby Sharma, a staffer at the NGO, reported the matter to Bharti Sharma, a former chairperson of the Child Welfare Council. She approached Shakti Vahini, a national voluntary organisation, engaged in the protection of child rights, and informed about the case.

Shakti Vahini executive director Nishi Kant immediately brought the matter to the notice of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), which deputed two officials to investigate the matter.

The NCPCR officials, along with Nishi Kant, Bharti Sharma, Gurgaon District Child Protection Officer and Deputy Commissioner of Police (South Gurgaon) raided the NGO premises.

Two girls, aged 12 and 14 years, told the team members that they were being sexually exploited by Ankur Gupta, who also threatened them with dire consequences in case they disclosed the matter.

As many as 14 HIV-affected children were rescued from the protection home during the raid. However, Ankur Gupta could not be arrested as he was not present there. All eight girl inmates were relocated to Naz Foundation in Delhi after their medical examination. The boys’ custody was given to the Child Protection Officer.An FIR has been lodged under various sections of the IPC and Section 23 of the Juvenile Justice Act in this regard.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120119/haryana.htm#2

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NGO RAIDED 14 POSITIVE CHILDREN RESCUED

NGO RAIDED 14 POSITIVE CHILDREN RESCUED

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A team comprising Gurgaon police and members of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), Shakti Vahini and the Gurgaon Child Protection Officer, among others, had conducted a raid on the NGO’s premises in Maruti Kunj on Tuesday night. During the raid, 14 HIV-positive children, including 8 girls, were rescued.

The police have filed an FIR under Sections 376, 376 (C), 376 (F), 120B, 506 of IPC and 23 of the Juvenile Justice Act against Ankur Gupta and Sunita Gupta, president of the NGO. Sunita Gupta is the mother of the accused.

After medical examination eight girls had been relocated to Naz Foundation, Delhi, and the boys’ custody was given to the District Child Protection Officer, Gurgaon, until a suitable shelter was found. Nishi Kant, executive director of Shakti Vahini, said “Two of the rescued girl children complained that they were being sexually abused by Ankur Gupta.

DCP (south) Hamid Akhtar said: “The case is being probed under the supervison of the Bhondsi SHO. We are hopeful to catch the accused very soon.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/gurgaon/HIV-kids-abuse-NGO-home-raided/articleshow/11548625.cms

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 PRESS NOTE        CENTRAL DISTRICT

 On 17.01.2012 at about 6 PM, an information was received from PS Mahehshtola, West Bengal that two girls including one minor who were kidnapped vide case FIR No. 920/11 dated 25.12.11 u/s 363/366 IPC PS Maheshtola, District 24 Paragana South, West Bangal have been confined in Kotha No. 70 at G.B. Road, Delhi.  A team comprising of one SI and two   W/Cts. of West Bengal police were also dispatched from there.

 In order to make the rescue operation successful, the photographs of the kidnapped girls were also obtained from West Bengal police through e-mail.

A team comprising of Inspr. Suman Kumar Sharma, SI Ajay Kumar, HC Anil, W/HC Sunita, W/Ct. Mamta was constituted under the supervision of Inspr. Pramod Joshi, SHO/Kamla Market.  Further, NGO Shakti Vahini was also associated in the rescue operation.  Subsequently, a raid was conducted at Kotha No. 70, G.B. Road.  After thorough search of the Kotha, both the kidnapped girls were rescued and one of them was found to be minor.

On interviewing of both the girls, it was revealed that both the girls are friends and belong to poor family. The girls were having boyfriends who also hail from the same village.  Their boyfriends had brought the girls to Delhi on the pretext of marrying them and later sold these girls at G.B. Road.

Subsequently to rescuing the girls, they were sent to Bapuna Shelter Home for night stay.  Further investigation is under progress.

It is also worthwhile to mention that on 12.01.2012 also, a raid had been conducted in the G.B.Road area in which 10 girls from different parts of country (Maharashtra, Bihar, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh) were rescued including some girls who were either minor or forced into the flesh trade against their wishes. The raid had been conducted in collaboration with NGO ‘Rescue Foundation’. Sincere efforts are on to resuce girls being forced in the flesh trade or minors. The managers of Kotha were also arrested in this connection.

(DEVESH CHANDRA SRIVASTVA)
ADDL. COMMISSIONER OF POLICE,
CENTRAL DISTRICT, DELHI.

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Two arrested for trafficking, four minors rescued

TIMES OF INDIA

NEW DELHI: Four minor girls were rescued and two traffickers arrested from the old Delhi railway station on Tuesday morning. The operation was jointly carried out by the railway police force, anti-trafficking unit of crime branch and NGO Shakti Vahini.

The two accused have been identified as Karmi Lokra and Saraswati Devi. The duo had lured the girls with the promise of providing them jobs with an NGO here. Shakti Vahini sources allege the NGO in question is fake and children brought here were sold off as child brides in Haryana or as bonded labourers.

“The children were brought by the Tata Muri Express from Jharkhand on the pretext of providing jobs through an illegal placement agency in New Friends Colony. The arrests also revealed the involvement of an alleged NGO operating in Delhi. The placement agency brought in poor children from the central belt promising them jobs with the NGO,” alleged Rishi Kant from Shakti Vahini. “After the arrests, a couple, claiming to be the workers of this NGO, arrived at the old Delhi GRP police station. The woman spoke to the accused and levelled allegations against unknown persons to derail the investigation,” said Rishi Kant.

“The Shakti Vahini team found out the website of the fake organization. Investigations revealed that the vice president of the NGO was one Munna Choudhry. He had been arrested for trafficking earlier in July, 2011, from Rajouri Garden. A 27-page report prepared against him by Assam Police had listed details of around 500 children who went missing from Assam and about such 50 placement agencies operating in Delhi. Subsequently, the report was also submitted to the DCP (crime and railways) and we are analyzing the report for leads at present,” said a senior crime branch officer.

Sources said Shakti Vahini requested the Child Welfare Committee to order a police probe against the NGO in question. Acting on the petition, the CWC issued orders directing SHO of Nihal Vihar Police Station for the same. The CWC also directed the SHOs of New Friends Colony and Defence Colony police stations to probe the placement agency owners and submit a report at the earliest.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Two-arrested-for-trafficking-four-minors-rescued/articleshow/11531657.cms

 

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Pushed into flesh trade in Delhi, a woman's journey back home in Bengal

DEVESH PANDEY IN THE HINDU

A young mother of two, who was brought from West Bengal to the Capital on the promise of a better job and forced into prostitution at gunpoint and through threats to the life of her children, recently managed to escape and has got one of her sons released from their clutches. While five alleged human traffickers and their woman accomplice have been arrested, three other young women have been rescued.

Married at a tender age, the 24-year-old woman was deserted by her husband about three years ago. Left to fend for herself, she started selling vegetables and fruits at the Sealdah railway station in West Bengal. In November last year, a man approached her with an offer of a lucrative job in Delhi. Lured by better prospect, she agreed to accompany him. On November 13, she, along with her children, boarded a train to the Capital.

Soon after the woman reached Govindpuri in South-East Delhi, she was told that she was being initiated into the flesh trade. Shocked, she refused to comply with and was subjected to physical torture. She was threatened with a firearm and the traffickers held her two-year-old son captive saying she could walk out only after she raised Rs.2 lakh for them.

The victim was sexually abused in Delhi and was also sent to Haryana and Rajasthan. Along with a customer and her four-year-old son, she last went to Jaipur. On her way back on December 30, she escaped from their clutches at Subzi Mandi here. “She reached Kolkata and fearful about her captive son’s life went straight to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee‘s residence and narrated her saga,” said Rishi Kant of non-government organisation Shakti Vahini.

Subsequently, senior police officers and Government Railway Police were instructed to take up the matter. A case was registered and a CID team led by Inspector Sarbari Bhattacharya was dispatched to Delhi. The team, in coordination with the Delhi Police and Shakti Vahini, zeroed in on the suspects.

Under the supervision of Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Meghna Yadav, the team raided a Govindpuri house in the early hours of Sunday. Three persons named Sameer, Seebu and Kafir were arrested and three young women who had been brought from 24 Parganas in West Bengal about a fortnight ago rescued. During questioning, the accused disclosed that gang leader Sartaj Ahmed lived in his three-floor building at Sangam Vihar.

“Despite stiff resistance from the occupants, the team members gained entry and arrested Sartaj. Two live cartridges were found under his pillow,” said Mr. Kant, adding that one Chhotu was also arrested.

Sartaj purportedly disclosed that the child was in the custody of Rehana at Jyotiba Phule Nagar in Uttar Pradesh and at his instance, they reached the village in the Gajraula area around 10-30 a.m. As news of their presence spread, the woman went missing with the child and area residents offered resistance. “The area police station in-charge and a beat officer conducted searches, recovered the boy and arrested Rehana,” said Mr. Kant.

The five persons arrested in Delhi were produced in a court here that granted seven days’ transit remand to the West Bengal Police. Rehana was produced at the residence of a judge in Jyotiba Phule Nagar who granted five days’ transit remand.

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/article2786355.ece

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DIVYA SETHI – HINDUSTAN TIMES / GURGAON

The New Year brings a ray of hope for many children who have been deprived of their basic rights as the government is considering a proposal to set up a shelter for such kids in this district.

So far, the victims of child rights abuse, who are rescued from across Haryana, are sent toRohtak and Karnal shelters. According to the department of women and children welfare of the state government, they are considering a proposal sent by the Gurgaon administration and the NGO, Shakti Vahini, seeking to set up a shelter here.

“We are looking into the matter. So many children are sent to far off places in the absence a shelter in Gurgaon,” said Dheera Khandelwal, principal secretary, Women and Child Development Department. The proposal came after the district administration on November 14, last year, announced the setting up of a facility for such children in Gurgaon. The proposed shelter is expected to accommodate children, especially girls who need medical care, protection from abuse, and counselling.

“This move was long-awaited. It would certainly provide the much-needed respite to the children,” said Ravi Kant, a member of Shakti Vahini.

He said that due to lack of space at Karnal and Rohtak shelters, sometimes children are sent back and it becomes difficult for the district administration to find a suitable accommodation for them. Last year, a total of 282 victims of child rights abuse were rescued from Gurgaon. Hundreds of children loose their childhood and are deprived of their rights to get elementary education due to poverty. Some times they also fall prey to trafficking rackets.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Haryana/Soon-city-to-have-shelter-for-victims-of-child-abuse/Article1-790370.aspx

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GURGAON: City police are yet to give a compensation of Rs 25,000 to a 13-year-old boy who was allegedly detained, physical abused and tortured in police custody in March despite the recommendation from the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) four months ago. The NCPCR had sought an action taken report from the district administration in this regard. After a letter from NCPCR, the Gurgaon deputy commissioner in September had asked the then police commissioner, S S Deswal, to arrange the compensation immediately to the victim so that a compliance report could be sent to the commission.

However, even after so many months, the compensation has not been given. Now, the NCPCR, through a letter dated December 9, has once again written to the deputy commissioner seeking to be informed as to whether such compensation has already been paid to the victim. The letter further stated that a compliance report should be furnished to the NCPCR within 10 days of the receipt of the letter. Talking to TOI on Monday, Vinod Tikoo, NCPCR member who conducted the inquiry, confirmed that the commission is still awaiting the report from the administration.

Meanwhile, NGO Shakti Vahini spokesperson Rishi Kant alleged, “Forget about the compensation to the victim, his father is being hounded by the accused cops to take back the case. He also approached us a few days ago and narrated the whole story.” The NGO will pursue the case in the court on their behalf, Kant added. When contacted, police commissioner K K Sindhu said he was not aware of the case and told this reporter to talk to the DCP (west). The case dates back to March 28, 2011, when the minor boy, a resident of Krishna Colony, Sector 4, was arrested by the cops at Sector 4 police post on charges of theft of a Kintetic Scooty. The NCPCR had noted in its investigation that the arrest was shown by the police in its record as on March 29 and the child was found to have been illegally detained and tortured in the police post.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/gurgaon/Nine-months-on-boy-yet-to-get-compensation/articleshow/11275168.cms