Police first secured 19 children (the majority under eight years of age) following coordinated sweeps across Mechuka (Shi-Yomi), Aalo (West Siang), Pasighat (East Siang), Longding, Naharlagun, and the Capital Region
KRC TIMES NE Desk
ITANAGAR / NAMSAI: In a breakthrough operation against human trafficking networks targeting vulnerable tribal communities, Arunachal Pradesh Police in Namsai have traced and rescued 51 individuals—including 47 minors—and apprehended five key facilitators involved in an illegal placement and child exploitation syndicate.
The operation, spearheaded by Namsai Deputy Superintendent of Police Kengo Dirchi alongside the District Child Protection Unit (DCPU), Child Welfare Committee (CWC), and Child Helpline agencies, unravelled an illicit supply chain spanning multiple districts and interstate corridors between Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.
Modus Operandi & Arrests
According to Namsai Superintendent of Police Sange Thinley, the syndicate preyed heavily on economically vulnerable families in interior hamlets. Intermediaries approached destitute parents with promises of quality education, modern schooling, and a secure upbringing for their children in urban centres.
In reality, the children were procured through informal cash settlements and funnelled into households as domestic help or engaged in manual labour in highway eateries and commercial establishments.
- Money Trail: Preliminary investigation revealed that sums ranging between ₹10,000 and ₹50,000 per child changed hands across middlemen, facilitators, and handlers.
- Fifth Arrest: Law enforcement recently arrested a fifth key facilitator, identified as Ema Loyi, a resident of Kaba village in Namsai, following the earlier apprehension of four female intermediaries linked to interstate logistical movement.
Phased Crackdown & Multi-District Reach
The investigation originated from a formal FIR lodged at Namsai Police Station on August 17, 2026, upon written notification from the District Child Welfare Committee:
- Initial Phase: Police first secured 19 children (the majority under eight years of age) following coordinated sweeps across Mechuka (Shi-Yomi), Aalo (West Siang), Pasighat (East Siang), Longding, Naharlagun, and the Capital Region.
- Expansion to Assam: Sustained field verification and tracing pushed the tally to 38 individuals (34 minors and 4 adults) as interstate links into Assam were probed.
- Current Rescues: With recent raids, the total has reached 51 traced or rescued persons, including 47 minor children.
Legal Proceedings & Rehabilitation
Formal statements of the rescued minors have been recorded before the judicial magistrate under Section 183 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). Police teams are examining forensic bank trails, digital calls, and end-recipient records to book individuals who harboured the children illegally.
