Trafficking from N Bengal estates falls substantially

HT, 13 October 2016: SILIGURI: An 11-year-long movement against human trafficking by Siliguri-based Kanchanjunga Uddhar Kendra (KUK), in coordination with the law-enforcement agencies, has helped reduce this crime in North Bengal and Sikkim substantially. 

More than 50 per cent of the victims belong to closed and sick tea gardens. These victims are sold in brothels across the country. The KUK, which works to prevent, rescue and rehabilitate victims of trafficking despite lots of constraints and lack of funding, has so far rescued more than 745 girls and women. 

Police have arrested numerous traffickers. 
Four of the arrested traffickers have been convicted. Among them is Bikki Biswakarma, who has been given life sentence. Binay Tamang has been sentenced to jail of 14 years. 

Two others, Sangita Darjee and Jamuna Thapa, have been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment. The data shows that most of the trafficked girls and women were rescued from brothels in Delhi, Mumbai and Pune. Some of them have been accepted back in society. 

One of the girls rescued from a brothel is now pursuing her higher education. 
Rangu Souriya, secretary of KUK, said, “Though trafficking of women and girls has been controlled due to active participation of NGOs and local administration, human trafficking from closed and sick tea gardens continues to be alarming.”