Mizoram Police informed that Nepali girls, believed to be victims of human trafficking, were rescued from Aizawl and Champhai near Myanmar border last week.
Aizawl
At least 23 girls from Nepal allegedly trafficked for flesh trade were rescued by Mizoram police, a senior police officer said on Tuesday.
Mizoram Inspector General of Police (intelligence and law and order) LH Shanliana told Media that the Nepali girls, believed to be victims of human trafficking, were rescued from Aizawl and Champhai near Myanmar border last week.
He said that a non-Mizoram resident identified as Lal Bahadur, suspected to be involved in trafficking the girls, has been arrested by police.
According to the police officer, the girls in their teen age were trafficked from Nepal and were suspected to be sent to South-East Asian countries via Mizoram for forced prostitution.
All the victims have been sent to protective homes, he said. He added that investigation is on to find out if there is any link between the locals and international traffickers.
On being asked the girls informed the police that they came for exposure tour and to attend a festival in Mizoram, another senior police officer told this correspondent. He said that police check posts along the international borders and inter-state boundaries have been alerted to prevent entry of foreigners and human traffickers from neighbouring countries.
The Mizoram police had also arrested a group of Rohingya women near Assam border while en route to Aizawl.
Shanliana said that eight Muslim women aged between 18 and 22 were arrested on April 23 at the entry point of Vairengte check gate for failing to produce valid travel documents (Inner Line Permits).
Later, the women revealed that they were Rohingya Muslim and abducted by human traffickers from a refugee camp in Bangladesh to be sent to Malaysia, he said.
The women were produced before a fast track court in Kolasib on April 24, which fined and ordered that they should be sent to foreigner detention centre in Assam.
