Latest news with #AHTU
Hans India
4 days ago
- Hans India
Hyderabad: RPF rescues 238 children
Hyderabad: As part of its ongoing fight against human trafficking, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) Secunderabad Division has rescued 238 children and apprehended 69 human traffickers so far this year. According to RPF officials, they have been actively conducting Action Against Human Trafficking (AAHT) in collaboration with the Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTU) and the NGO Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA). During intensive checks across general, sleeper, and AC coaches, child trafficking victims are identified and rescued, while human traffickers and their agents are traced and apprehended. Recently, most cases involved children trafficked from Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh. Under Operation AAHT, the RPF is implementing a multi-pronged strategy that involves the deployment of dedicated AHTU personnel, monitoring through CCTV surveillance, and awareness campaigns at railway stations and on trains. In 2023, RPF Secunderabad Division rescued 305 children and arrested 137 traffickers under Operation AAHT. In 2024, these numbers increased to 310 children rescued and 174 traffickers arrested, reflecting a 1.64 per cent increase in child rescue and a 27.01 per cent rise in trafficker arrests compared to the previous year. In 2025, till date, 238 children have been rescued and 69 traffickers arrested. Officials suspect the number of children rescued could reach 400 by the end of the year. RPF officials urged rail passengers and citizens to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities by dialling the national helpline number 139. 'Every alert call and watchful eye can help protect vulnerable children from falling prey to this heinous crime. We will continue to intensify tactical raids and coordinated operations to end human trafficking,' said a senior RPF official.
Time of India
28-05-2025
- Time of India
Missing 4-yr-old rescued from kidnapper in Ahmedabad, reunited with mom
Ahmedabad: A four-year-old girl who went missing from the Law Garden area four days ago was traced by the city crime branch on Tuesday. She was found in the Sabarmati area, in the custody of a woman who allegedly abducted her to sell her off or hand her over to the begging mafia. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The girl, Vedika Bheel, daughter of Aarti Bheel, went missing on Saturday evening while playing in the Law Garden area. Her mother sells water bottles near the garden. Despite a search and a police complaint filed with Navrangpura police, her whereabouts remained unknown for several days. The accused was identified as Nikita Dantani, 35, a pavement dweller from Raikhad. She was allegedly roaming around the city on a lookout for vulnerable children when she spotted Vedika. The breakthrough in the case came when a 70-member team from the city crime branch intensified their efforts under an ongoing drive to trace missing children. The woman who abducted Vedika cut her hair to prevent identification. Officers said she planned to sell the girl to a childless couple or hand her over to the begging mafia. The girl was rescued safely and reunited with her parents. Her medical condition is reported to be stable. According to crime branch officials, the rescue is part of a broader operation. Over the last nine months, the city crime branch rescued more than 100 children and registered over 48 offences. Anti-begging drives and active surveillance by specialized units such as the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) and Investigative Units for Crimes Against Women (IUCAW) contributed to the detection, sources said. "This case was a continuation of our ongoing operation. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The team gained experience in identifying such patterns and knowing where to search," said an officer. The initial investigation faced hurdles due to non-functional CCTV cameras at Law Garden and along CG Road. The equipment, installed under the Smart City project, failed to capture any footage, leaving police with limited leads in the first 48 hours. Despite the challenges, the case saw a breakthrough due to systematic fieldwork and coordination by the crime branch.
Time of India
27-05-2025
- Time of India
Faded photos to reunions: 2 Delhi cops track down 223 kids
NEW DELHI: For ASI Nirdesh Panwar and ASI Rajdeep, the gaze into their own children's eyes is the north star that guides their tireless pursuit of reuniting once missing kids with their families. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Over the last 11 months, this drive has led them to reunite 223 missing children with their families. They travelled to other cities and states to bridge gaps that sometimes spanned years. Their work involved over 70 police stations in Delhi and has taken them to corners of Jammu, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Haryana. Often, all that they had was a faded photograph, a name, a case gone cold. But by following faint digital footprints, knocking on doors, and stitching together stories from scraps, they brought the children home. Their consistent record earned them out-of-turn promotions, a recognition of their perseverance. Formerly head constables, and now assistant sub-inspectors, Rajdeep (35) and Nirdesh Panwar (38), of the anti-human trafficking unit (AHTU) have each rescued over 100 children - Rajdeep has rescued 112 and Panwar 111. "These officers were promoted out of turn as a recognition for their consistent work and the large number of successful recoveries," DCP (Shahdara) Prashant Priya Gautam said. Their day begins at 6am with the scan of the national databases like CCTNS (Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems) and ZIPNET (Zonal Integrated Police Network) for fresh reports and long-pending cases. Once a case is shortlisted, the officers contact the investigating officer and the family. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Even that isn't easy always. "In many cases, phone numbers in FIRs are inactive, or the family has moved. Sometimes, there's not even a recent photo of the missing child," ASI Panwar said. "Language becomes a barrier too, especially when we travel to other states." Once contact is established, the officers conduct home visits to understand the child's last known movements, their environment, behaviour patterns, and any underlying causes of disappearance. From there, the tracking begins, involving Call Detail Record (CDR) analysis, deep dives into social media activity, and extensive reviews of CCTV footage. In the case of teenagers, a tagged location or a background in a photo on social media might offer the first clue. The two walk door to door with a photo, ask around, coordinate with local police, and check with shelter homes and NGOs. When digital leads dry up, the job becomes painstaking. "We've reviewed footage from over 200 cameras in some cases. Sometimes, you're looking for a moment, a movement that's barely visible. But that's all you need," ASI Rajdeep said. "The payoff is indescribable. That moment when a parent sees the child again, it makes every hour worth it." Each case brings its own challenges. "Some children have been missing for weeks, others for years. Some left home by choice. Others may have been trafficked or abducted. We can't assume anything. We have to approach every case with care. At times, the breakthrough is quick. Many take days and months to crack," he added. The case of a missing 14-year-old girl took them to Jammu and Kashmir after they managed to find out that the girl boarded a train at New Delhi Railway Station. "We immediately boarded a train to Jammu at 9.30pm and started our search after reaching there at 7am. We were lucky as the girl was luckily found sitting alone on a bench at one corner of the station. She was brought back the same day and reunited with her parents. Another challenging case was of a girl who was missing from the MS Park area in 2017. She was just 15 then. "For years, there were no leads. The family had long lost hope. This year, we traced her to Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh after following some electronic leads. She is 22 now," ASI Rajdeep said.
Time of India
30-04-2025
- Time of India
Annually, 3,300 adults & 450 minors go missing from city
Nagpur: City police commissioner Ravinder Singal has set a target of achieving a 'Zero missing rate' in Nagpur, where on an average, 3,300 adults and 450 minors go missing every year. At present, two minor boys and 11 girls, along with 168 men and 95 women, are still untraceable from the past few years. Singal, who launched ' Operation Shodh ' in mid-April, urged the police station units, divisional squads, and the crime branch's anti-human trafficking unit (AHTU) to work with a vision to minimise the missing rate to nil. The special drive started with the objective of tracking down missing persons, including minors, who were untraceable for a year. The anti-human trafficking unit, under senior inspector Lalita Todase, was also instrumental in tracking missing persons from other states this year. During the month-long drive, different units of city police managed to rescue and reunite 49 missing women, 22 men, and one boy with their families. The commissioner, while reviewing the status of the special drive, has now urged the police units to step up their efforts to track down the missing persons, taking the missing complaints with due gravity. CP also urged different departments to work in close coordination for tackling the missing cases and help in reducing the numbers. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Villas In Dubai | Search Ads View Deals Undo Apart from the police department, child welfare committee chairperson Chhaya Gurav, district women and child development officer Ranjit Kurhe, and district child protection officer Mushtaq Pathan were also present. Singal has made an appeal to the masses to alert the 112 control room if any abandoned or unescorted persons are spotted anywhere across the city. The top cop also stated that citizens can contact the local police station for any missing complaints. Nagpur: City police commissioner Ravinder Singal has set a target of achieving a 'Zero missing rate' in Nagpur, where on an average, 3,300 adults and 450 minors go missing every year. At present, two minor boys and 11 girls, along with 168 men and 95 women, are still untraceable from the past few years. Singal, who launched 'Operation Shodh' in mid-April, urged the police station units, divisional squads, and the crime branch's anti-human trafficking unit (AHTU) to work with a vision to minimise the missing rate to nil. The special drive started with the objective of tracking down missing persons, including minors, who were untraceable for a year. The anti-human trafficking unit, under senior inspector Lalita Todase, was also instrumental in tracking missing persons from other states this year. During the month-long drive, different units of city police managed to rescue and reunite 49 missing women, 22 men, and one boy with their families. The commissioner, while reviewing the status of the special drive, has now urged the police units to step up their efforts to track down the missing persons, taking the missing complaints with due gravity. CP also urged different departments to work in close coordination for tackling the missing cases and help in reducing the numbers. Apart from the police department, child welfare committee chairperson Chhaya Gurav, district women and child development officer Ranjit Kurhe, and district child protection officer Mushtaq Pathan were also present. Singal has made an appeal to the masses to alert the 112 control room if any abandoned or unescorted persons are spotted anywhere across the city. The top cop also stated that citizens can contact the local police station for any missing complaints.
Indian Express
24-04-2025
- Indian Express
Head constable ‘amasses illegal assets' worth over Rs 31 lakh, booked in Ahmedabad
A police head constable was booked on charges of corruption and possession of disproportionate assets (DA) to the tune of over Rs 31 lakh by local police in Ahmedabad city, officials said on Thursday. The police identified the accused as Vijay Jairam Mali. An FIR was filed against Mali based on a complaint by Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) HM Kansagra of 'B' Division at Ranip police station. Mali was booked under The Prevention of Corruption Act Sections 13(1)(e) (criminal misconduct by public servant regarding disproportionate assets), 13(1)(b) (public servant intentionally enriching self during term of office), 13(2) (punishment for criminal misconduct), said the police. According to the FIR, when Mali was posted with the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) in Ahmedabad City, complaints about his alleged involvement in corrupt activities had reached the Commissioner of Police (CP) who had then transferred him to the police headquarters. However, there too, 'allegations of corruption emerged against him' leading to an inquiry being carried out by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) for cybercrime, which had 'found the allegations to be true', said the FIR. Subsequently, Mali was transferred to Devbhoomi Dwarka district police. Thereafter, a primary investigation was ordered into the corruption allegations which 'found Mali to possess assets worth Rs 31,62,739 that were disproportionate to his source of income by 23.55%, in the 19-year period of his service between January 1, 2006, and December 31, 2024', stated the FIR. The results of this investigation were submitted to the Ahmedabad Commissioner of Police, leading to the filing of the FIR against him.
