Odisha police rescue 49 migrant labourers

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Malkangiri, Feb 1:

In yet another case of illegal trafficking, police today rescued 49 persons while they were being trafficked via water route from Odisha’s Malkangiri to neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.

Acting on a tip off, the police swung into action and rescued these 49 labourers, including 21 children, who were lured by the contractor to provide them with work in Andhra Pradesh.

Besides this, the police arrested four persons including the middleman, Satipali Narasimha Rao.

‘‘We have rescued 49 persons who were being ferried in river Saberi in Malkangiri. The middleman, Satipali Narasimha Rao, and three of his aides have been arrested on charges of trafficking,’’ inspector-in-charge of Motu police station Dinabandhu Behera said.

The district Child Welfare Committee (CWC) had tipped the police about the trafficking following which these poor villagers were rescued. Of the 21 children, 16 are minor girls aged between nine and 16, police said.

Meanwhile, the rescued children have been handed over to the CWC.

‘‘We will initiate steps for the rehabilitation of these 21 children as per law,’’ Malkangiri CWC Chairperson Sanjukta Pradhan said.

We would ensure that the rest of the rescued labourers are provided with job cards, a senior district administration official said.