Alert Against Human Trafficking in Violence Affected Districts in Assam

NEW DELHI: An Alert has been sounded against human-trafficking attempts in the violence-affected Sonitpur and Kokrajhar districts of Assam along with other districts in the aftermath of the massacre unleashed by the NDFB(S) militants on December 23.

Just when the affected districts were slowly limping back to normalcy and the relief camp inmates were returning to their villages in droves, this latest alert by the Assam police’s anti-trafficking unit has come as a warning to those thinking the woes had ended.

While the local police stations have been directed to investigate the fresh missing cases on a priority basis, especially from the trafficking angle, local leaders and village heads would also be asked to report any missing instance in their locality post-violence as there is a disinclination on the part of the people of remote areas to lodge missing reports.

Data reveal that young boys and girls from the Adivasi community are most vulnerable to human trafficking rackets over the years.

Confirming that an alert has been sounded, Violet Baruah, Superintendent of Police, anti-trafficking unit of the CID, added that as a result, vigil has been intensified in the transit routes.

Sonitpur and Kokrajhar districts which are considered to be hubs of human trafficking in Assam have reported displacement of thousands of young children and women post violence, a situation that has traditionally suited large-scale trafficking of distressed and panic-stricken people.

Meanwhile, the Assam police on Saturday, in a major success, killed the mastermind behind the barbaric attacks on the innocent Adivasis last month which led to the death of over 70 Adivasis.

The most wanted NDFB(S) militant and one of the prime accused in the killing of Adivasis at Pakriguri and other places in Kokrajhar district, Jagat Basumatary alias B Jwblang, was killed on Saturday in an encounter with the Kokrajhar police near North Khausibazar forest area in the district.

While informing this development, Additional Superintendent of Police Kokrajhar, Surjeet Singh Panesar also said that an AK-56 rifle with a magazine, two hand grenades, twenty- one rounds of live ammunition and eighteen empty fire cases were also recovered from the spot.

Additionally, hundreds of relief camp inmates are returning to their homes on a regular basis and the number of relief amps are also decreasing.

However, the condition of relief camps has been put under scrutiny once again.

Social activist Dibyajyoti Saikia has expressed serious concern over the condition of the camps in Chirang and Kokrajhar districts and also pointed out the lack of efforts to build mutual trust among the affected communities.

A part of a team of a social organisation “Brothers” which visited the affected areas during the first week of this year, she said “We have noticed that despite repeated spurts of violence in the area, little has been done to improve the infrastructure of the area. Condition of roads and bridges being pitiable, it is difficult for the police or the Army to reach the sites on time. Sufferings to common people due to this underdeveloped infrastructure are beyond explanation”.

The team also held peace meetings in nearly 40 villages and rehabilitation camps belonging to Bodo and Adivasi communities to allay fears and rumours.