Lok Sabha Question No. 3244 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-08-09
Subject: Human Trafficking through Railways
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Omprakash Bhupalsinh alias Pawan Rajenimbalkar, Keshari Devi Patel, Sanjay Haribhau Jadhav

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3244 TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.08.2023

## HUMAN TRAFFICKING THROUGH RAILWAYS

## †3244. SHRI OMPRAKASH BHUPALSINH

ALIAS PAWAN RAJENIMBALKAR:

SHRIMATI KESHARI DEVI PATEL:

SHRI SANJAY JADHAV:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether there is a high incidence of human trafficking in the trains;
- (b) if  so,  the  number  of  cases  thereof  at  railway  stations  and  railway ticket  reservation  centres  which  were  brought  to  the  notice  of  the Government during the last three years, train/station-wise;
- (c) the  expeditions  action  taken  by  the  Government  to  check  such cases;
- (d) whether the Railway Protection Force (RPF) has started any nationwide campaign to check human trafficking, if so, the details thereof;
- (e) whether  RPF  proposes  to  make  any  deployment  of  staff  at  railway stations and ticket reservation centres and special squad in all long distance routes and trains, if so, the details in this regard;
- (f) whether RPF is likely to assist local police in all the States in this regard, if so, the details thereof;
- (g) whether the trains  running  from  bordering  districts  are  likely  to  be zeroed in the above mission across the country; and
- (h) if so, the action plan prepared in this regard?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMUNICATIONS AND

ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

- (a) to (h): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (h) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION  NO.  3244  BY  SHRI  OMPRAKASH  BHUPALSINH  ALIAS  PAWAN RAJENIMBALKAR,  SHRIMATI  KESHARI  DEVI  PATEL  AND  SHRI  SANJAY JADHAV  TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  09.08.2023  REGARDING HUMAN TRAFFICKING THROUGH RAILWAYS

(a) to (h): 'Police' and 'Public Order' are State subjects under the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India and, therefore, State Governments are responsible  for  prevention,  detection,  registration  and  investigation  of crime  and  maintenance  of  law  and  order  on  Railways  through  their  law enforcement agencies viz. Government Railway Police (GRP)/District Police. Railway  Protection  Force  (RPF)  supplements  the  efforts  of  GRP/District Police  to  provide  better  protection  and  security  to  railway  property, passenger area and passengers and for matters connected therewith. RPF is not empowered to investigate cases of Human Trafficking and whenever any case of suspected human trafficking is detected by RPF, the same is reported to GRP/District Police. The persons rescued and apprehended are handed over to concerned Police for further necessary action as per law.

Based on the data provided by Government Railway Police, the number of cases of human trafficking detected during the last three years i.e. 2020, 2021 and 2022 over Indian Railways are as under:-

| Year   | Number of cases of human trafficking detected   | Number of cases of human trafficking detected   | Number of cases of human trafficking detected                         |
|--------|-------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Year   | In Trains                                       | At railway stations                             | At Railway Ticket Counter including Passenger Reservation System(PRS) |
| 2020   | 12                                              | 21                                              | 0                                                                     |
| 2021   | 31                                              | 37                                              | 0                                                                     |
| 2022   | 47                                              | 92                                              | 1                                                                     |

A pan India drive 'Operation AAHT'  is undertaken by RPF, focused  to  take

effective action in cases of Human Trafficking through railways. Based on the  data provided by Government Railway Police, during the current year (up  to  June),  total  643  persons  being  trafficked  through  railway  system have been rescued by RPF from the clutches of traffickers under 'Operation AAHT' with arrest of 158 traffickers. The traffickers arrested were handed over to the concerned GRPS for legal action.

In  order  to  strengthen  action  against  Human  Trafficking,  more  than  750 Anti  Human  Trafficking  Units  (AHTUs)  have  been  setup  by  RPF  over  the Indian Railways. These AHTUs coordinate with AHTUs of Police & CAPFs (Central  Armed  Police  Forces)  i.e.  BSF  &  SSB  functioning  at  district level/state  levels/International  Borders  and  with  Intelligence  Units,  NGOs working  in  this  field,  other  stakeholders  and  take  effective  action  on traffickers as per law.

Also,  field  formations  of  RPF  have  been  sensitized  to  act  proactively involving  all  the  stakeholders  to  prevent  any  type  of  Human  Trafficking through  railways  particularly  from  the  vulnerable  districts  of  the  country bordering Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar.

Further, the following steps are being taken by the Railways in coordination with GRP/District Police to prevent Human Trafficking over Indian Railways:-

1. An Exhaustive Security circular No.03/2022 dated 02.02.2022, detailing  action  plan  to  be  taken  by  RPF  against  Human  Trafficking have been issued.
2. Train escorting parties and staff deployed in mass contact areas have been  sensitized  and  trained  to  identify  the  potential  victims  of trafficking and to take immediate action to rescue them.

3. To  supplement  the  efforts  of  State  Police,  Cyber  cells  of  RPF  have been instructed for cyber patrolling of the web/social media to look for digital footprints/traces of human trafficking in the internet and to cull out the clues helpful in taking action against Human Trafficking through railways.
4. The subject of 'Human Trafficking' have been included in all training courses conducted in RPF Training Centres. Also, time to time special seminars are organised to sensitize RPF personnel and train them in identification of victims and traffickers.
5. Periodic review meetings are held with Nodal Officers of Anti Human Trafficking Units and other concerned agencies from time to time to review the efforts undertaken to combat human trafficking.
6. Surveillance is kept through CCTV cameras provided in 7264 coaches and 866 Railway Stations for enhanced security of passengers.

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