Twenty-four youths, including minors, allegedly abducted from Kailashahar with fake job promises have been traced in Arunachal Pradesh. Police probe labour trafficking claims, while Tripura government seeks urgent inter-state rescue and action against accused recruiters.
As many as 24 youngsters, including seven minors, who were allegedly abducted from Kailashahar in North Tripura district under the guise of high-paying employment opportunities, have been traced to an unidentified location in Arunachal Pradesh, triggering alarm among authorities and widespread distress among their families.
Family members of the victims alleged that the youths were lured away with promises of steady income and better livelihood prospects, only to be subjected to inhuman working conditions that closely resembled bonded labour. According to the last communication received from the youngsters, they were being forced to work long hours without rest and were deprived of basic facilities.
Officer-in-Charge of Kailashahar Police Station, Tapas Malakar, confirmed that the police had received a formal complaint from the villagers and had successfully traced the location of the youths. “The villagers have provided us with a list of 24 youths who went missing from the area. Their location has been traced somewhere in Arunachal Pradesh. We are coordinating with the nearest police station to verify their condition and take necessary steps,” Malakar said.
However, the police official declined to disclose details regarding the modus operandi of the alleged exploitation racket, citing the sensitivity of the ongoing investigation.
According to the complaint filed by the families, all the youngsters belong to tea garden worker families residing in Rangrung village under Kailashahar subdivision. They were reportedly approached by individuals who offered them lucrative job opportunities in a city outside Tripura.
The offers included a monthly salary of Rs 14,000, an advance payment of Rs 2,000, and rent-free accommodation at the place of employment. Although the youths informed their families about the offers, they allegedly failed to obtain parental consent.
Despite objections from their parents, the youngsters left the village without informing their families. On the day of departure, they left early in the morning, as if heading for routine work, but did not return home by evening. A few days later, they contacted their families, informing them that they were travelling towards their destination.
The last known conversations between the victims and their families painted a grim picture. Parents were told that the employers were treating the youngsters harshly and forcing them to pluck oranges from morning till evening without adequate rest.
The families alleged that the advance payment initially promised to them was forcibly taken back by the employers. The youths were reportedly not provided with proper accommodation, and transportation facilities in the area were described as deplorable.
Although the youngsters could not identify their precise location, they were able to inform their families that they had been taken to a remote area in Arunachal Pradesh. Since then, contact with many of them has either been irregular or completely cut off, heightening fears of trafficking and forced labour.
Upon being informed about the situation, Tripura Labour Minister Tinku Roy took immediate steps to facilitate the safe rescue of the victims. The minister wrote a formal letter to Arunachal Pradesh Minister Nayto Dukam, seeking urgent intervention.
Sources confirmed that Roy also personally spoke with senior BJP leaders in Arunachal Pradesh to ensure coordination between state authorities for the safe recovery of the youths. The Tripura government has emphasized the need for swift inter-state cooperation to prevent further exploitation and ensure accountability.
The families of the victims have accused Omprakash Upadhyay, the son of a local priest from the tea garden area, of playing a key role in convincing the youngsters to leave their village. Another individual, identified as Budhuram Urang, a local labour supplier, is also suspected to be involved in the alleged trafficking network.
Both individuals have reportedly gone absconding since the police complaint was lodged. Police sources confirmed that efforts are underway to trace and apprehend them, and legal action will follow based on the findings of the investigation.
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The incident has once again highlighted the vulnerability of economically marginalized communities to labour trafficking and exploitation. Activists have urged authorities to strengthen awareness campaigns in rural and tea garden areas to prevent such incidents and ensure stricter monitoring of labour recruitment practices.
As investigations continue, families in Rangrung village wait anxiously for the safe return of their children, hoping that timely intervention will put an end to what they describe as a harrowing ordeal.
