RPF Secunderabad rescues 238 children, arrests 69 traffickers in 2025

The RPF Secunderabad Division conducts Operation Action Against Human Trafficking, working closely with NGOs and AHTUs. Officials urge public to report suspicious activity via helpline 139 to combat human trafficking

Hyderabad: The Railway Protection Force (RPF) Secunderabad Division, as part of its ongoing fight against human trafficking, has rescued 238 children and apprehended 69 human traffickers so far this year.

The RPF has been actively conducting Operation Action Against Human Trafficking (AAHT) in collaboration with the Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTU) and the NGO Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA).

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According to RPF officials, during intensive checks across general, sleeper, and AC coaches, child trafficking victims are identified and rescued, while human traffickers and their agents are traced and apprehended.

Recently, most cases involved children trafficked from Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh.

Under Operation AAHT, the RPF is implementing a multi-pronged strategy involving the deployment of dedicated AHTU personnel, monitoring through CCTV surveillance, and awareness campaigns across railway stations and trains.

In 2023, RPF Secunderabad Division rescued 305 children and arrested 137 traffickers under Operation AAHT. In 2024, these numbers increased to 310 children rescued and 174 traffickers arrested, reflecting a 1.64 per cent increase in child rescues and a 27.01 per cent rise in trafficker arrests compared to the previous year.

In 2025, till date, 238 children have been rescued and 69 traffickers arrested. Officials suspect the number of children rescued could reach 400 by the end of the year.

The rescued children were produced before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) through BBA for further inquiry and necessary legal proceedings.

Debashmita C Banerjee, Senior Divisional Security Commissioner, Secunderabad Division, said the sole mission of the RPF is to eliminate human trafficking from railway networks.

“Through sustained vigilance, tactical planning, data-driven surveillance, and inter-agency cooperation, we are steadily increasing our impact. The dedication of our AHTU teams and collaboration with NGOs like BBA has been vital to our success,” she said.

The RPF will continue its intensified efforts to combat human trafficking and protect vulnerable sections of society, she added.

RPF officials urged rail passengers and citizens to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities by dialing the national helpline number 139.

“Every alert call and watchful eye can help protect vulnerable children from falling prey to this heinous crime. We will continue to intensify tactical raids and coordinated operations to end human trafficking,” said a senior RPF official.

To report suspicious activity, dial the national helpline number 139.