Is Human Trafficking Under The Guise Of Govt. Scheme Going On In Tinsukia?

In a disturbing revelation, at least 26 minor and teenage girls from Upper Assam were illegally trafficked from Tinsukia district to Tamil Nadu under the guise of the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY), a central government skill development scheme. The illegal operation was allegedly carried out by an NGO named Rathinam, operating in Borgaon under Tinsukia district, in complete violation of government protocols.

The Railway Protection Force (RPF), sensing irregularities, tipped off the District Child Protection Unit (DCPU), prompting an investigation. Notably, the DCPU has confirmed that the DDU-GKY program has been non-functional since March, further deepening suspicion about the motive behind the transportation of these girls.

According to reports, the trafficking network behind the illegal transport of 26 minor and teenage girls from Upper Assam had prepared fraudulent Aadhaar documents for each of the victims to bypass verification checks. Although the girls were initially meant to board from Tinsukia, they were illegally rerouted from Dibrugarh Railway Station, a move believed to be a deliberate attempt to avoid detection.

One of the key individuals accompanying the girls to Tamil Nadu admitted to forging the Aadhaar cards. Speaking to reporters, he said, “I live in Digboi and was accompanying the girls. There are 26 of them, and they were going to Tamil Nadu to work in a company there.”

He added that the travel was arranged despite the lack of valid tickets for the Vivek Express two months in advance. “The tickets were booked under different names because of unavailability. I used fake Aadhaar cards only for travel purposes,” he said. The man claimed he now realises it was wrong and acknowledged that the act amounts to fraud.

When asked who created the fake identification documents, he confessed, “It was me. But I only did it for travel. Once they reached Tamil Nadu, they were to work using their original Aadhaar cards.”

He further claimed that the girls were going to join a registered company in Tamil Nadu for tailoring training and employment. “We took video declarations from all the girls and informed their parents, as per the company’s formalities,” he said.

However, the families of several girls told authorities and reporters that they were unaware of their daughters’ travel plans. Responding to this, the man insisted, “If the girls have packed their luggage and come this far, it’s obvious their parents must know. Some of these girls had already gone there before under a government scheme and were now returning under a private arrangement.”

Preliminary investigations reveal that the girls were from vulnerable rural areas of Sivasagar, Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, and Tinsukia districts. Officials believe this is part of a larger trafficking racket.

Five individuals have been detained in connection with the case and are currently being interrogated. The Tinsukia District Child Welfare Committee suspects a well-organised trafficking syndicate is behind the operation.

Authorities have intensified the investigation and are working to ensure the safe return and rehabilitation of the trafficked girls.

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