Sixteen Teens Rescued from Alleged Traffickers at Gonda Railway Station

Police rescued 16 teenagers from Gonda railway station who were being taken to Bihar under the false pretext of online marketing training. The minors were from rural areas and their parents had consented, unaware of the illegal nature. The children will be returned to their parents after legal proceedings.

Sixteen teenagers were rescued at Gonda railway station on Monday while being taken to Bihar under the guise of training in an online marketing company, police reported.

During a patrol, Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Anti Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) personnel spotted a man and a woman with the children, aged between 14 and 17 years. Upon questioning, the duo failed to provide satisfactory answers and fled, said Sub-Inspector Surendra Kumar. The minors were handed over to Childline, a local child protection service.

Childline coordinator Ashish Mishra disclosed that a woman from Deoria was transporting the children under the false promise of training. The minors, hailing from rural areas, had parental consent for the supposed training, granted in the hope of eventual job prospects, for which parents received Rs 1300 each. However, Mishra emphasized that the consent is not valid due to the minors' age, rendering the agreement illegal. The children will be returned to their families after appearing before the juvenile justice board.