Itanagar, Police in Arunachal Pradesh’s Namsai have traced and rescued 51 people, including 47 children, in connection with a child trafficking racket, officials said on Sunday.
The case, registered at Namsai Police Station, involves allegations of illegal procurement, trafficking, and placement of children belonging to vulnerable families. Police also arrested an alleged facilitator identified as Ema Loyi, a resident of Kaba village in Namsai, bringing the total number of arrests in the child trafficking case to five. To safeguard the privacy, dignity, and rights of the minor children, police have withheld all identities and personal particulars. Further operations are underway to trace any remaining victims and link the complete chain of events, Thinley added. During the phase, police arrested a fourth main facilitator, for her alleged role in transporting and illegally placing victims.
Sustained investigation, field verification, and coordinated multi-district and inter-state operations led to a significant jump in rescued children from 19 during the initial phase to 38, and now to 51, including four adults, according to Namsai Superintendent of Police Sange Thinley. During the initial crackdown, police rescued 19 children, most below eight years of age, from multiple locations across Arunachal Pradesh, including Mechuka , Aalo , Pasighat , Naharlagun, Itanagar , and Longding . The first three arrests made in connection with the network were female facilitators As multi-district and inter-state tracing operations expanded into Assam and other areas, the total count of traced or rescued persons rose to 38, comprising 34 children and four adults.
The investigation into the child trafficking case registered at Namsai Police Station on August 17, 2026, began following a formal complaint by the District Child Welfare Committee regarding the illegal procurement and placement of minors from economically vulnerable families.
