Bengaluru: RPF Shakti Team Rescues Drugged Minor Girl From Traffickers

The Railway Protection Force (RPFShakti) squad rescued a 15-year-old girl from the Danapur Sanghamitra Special Express between Krishnarajapuram and Bangarapet Junction in Bengaluru on July 9. The girl was spotted alone on the train at 10.30 a.m. and was reportedly being transferred to an unknown location by traffickers.

The Shakti team was conducting its usual rounds aboard the train, according to Aneesh Hegde, Chief Public Relations Officer of South Western Railway (SWR), counselling women passengers who were travelling alone on how to be safe and inquiring about any potential harassment. The crew came upon a 15-year-old girl who was sitting alone and seemed terrified. Aneesh went on to say that when the RPF officers approached her, she begged for assistance. The girl then told the Shakti staff about her ordeal.

The young woman had fled home in East Champaran (Motihari), Bihar, to avoid her father, who had reportedly sexually assaulted and raped her. She also chose to leave home because her parents had seemingly fixed her marriage. She ended up in Bengaluru, where she said she was kidnapped by human traffickers and held captive in a windowless room. According to Aneesh Hegde, the 15-year-old's mother was aware of the father's sexual assault but did not act.

"The girl says she came to Bengaluru around a month ago and was caught by the traffickers. The girl in her statement has said that she was kept in captivity for about a month. We won't be able to specifically tell the date as she was understandably in a bad mental state and, on top of that, she was drugged," said a top official in RPF who did not want to be named.

According to the official, the RPF personnel came into contact with her when the traffickers were transporting her to an unknown place via train. The girl was also terrified and in a drug-induced state, according to the official. She could only say to the RPF people, "didi mujhe bacchao" (please save me), and she couldn't inform them if the traffickers were on board.

"After rescuing, she was brought to Bengaluru City Railway Station’s special RPF outpost, which is a child-friendly place. After due formalities, the girl was handed over to Uma from Bosco Child Home for further safekeeping," SWR stated in a statement. The statement went on to say that the required legal action had been taken under the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses) Act and other related statutes.