Railways Rescue 64,000 Minors, 2,912 Trafficking Victims in 5 Years; RPF Intensifies Crackdown
Reported by Amit Singh
New Delhi, 30th July 2025: The Railway Protection Force (RPF) has rescued over 64,000 minors and a total of 2,912 victims from human trafficking attempts over the past five years, as Indian Railways ramps up its nationwide efforts to curb the use of its network for human exploitation. Between January 2021 and mid-2025, RPF arrested 701 traffickers and dismantled several organized trafficking routes across the country.
Among the 64,000 minors rescued under Operation Nanhe Farishtey, launched in 2020, 43,493 were boys and 20,411 were girls. These children, found lost, abandoned, or trapped in forced labour and begging syndicates, were produced before Child Welfare Committees (CWCs) for safe reintegration or institutional care. The operation is active across 135 major railway stations, with expansion plans underway.
In a significant operational success on July 21, 2025, RPF and Government Railway Police (GRP) personnel intercepted Train No. 13245 DN at New Jalpaiguri Station, rescuing 56 young girls from a suspected trafficking attempt. Two individuals escorting the girls were arrested after failing to produce valid documentation. The victims, aged between late teens to early twenties, were allegedly being trafficked to Bengaluru under false job promises.
RPF’s anti-trafficking strategy has evolved through Operation AAHT (Action Against Human Trafficking), launched in 2022. Under this initiative, 750 Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs) have been established across the Indian Railways network, focusing on intelligence-based operations, coordinated rescues, and partnerships with NGOs and law enforcement agencies. Between 2022 and 2024, RPF also identified over 580 illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and Myanmar involved in trafficking cases.
Detection and rescue operations now rely heavily on technological interventions. The RPF employs AI-powered Facial Recognition Systems (FRS), data analytics, and CCTV surveillance across high-traffic stations. Railway staff, including ticket examiners and porters, are sensitized to identify suspicious behaviour patterns, enhancing ground-level vigilance. Social media platforms, helplines like 1098 and 112, and crowd-sourced alerts have further bolstered real-time detection and response.
Trains such as Gorakhpur-Secunderabad Express, Rajendranagar-Ajmer Express, and New Jalpaiguri-Amritsar Express are among key routes monitored for trafficking activities. Known hotspots like Muzaffarpur, Katihar, Secunderabad, and Ajmer are under continuous surveillance by RPF teams.
Apart from enforcement, Indian Railways is driving preventive measures through mass awareness campaigns across stations. Public address announcements, rail display network messages, street plays, posters, and social media engagements aim to encourage public participation in reporting trafficking cases.
According to RPF records, the combination of proactive intelligence, technological surveillance, and inter-agency coordination has significantly disrupted trafficking attempts within the railway network over the past five years. The force continues to focus on preemptive action, survivor rehabilitation, and tightening security frameworks across vulnerable corridors.
