Sunitha Krishnan of Prajwala foundation says in India 93 % of human trafficking is within the country

Director General of Police M. Mahender Reddy on Monday underscored the need for ensuring that human traffickers were convicted for the offence committed by them.

He was speaking after the release of a comprehensive manual on victim centered investigations in trafficking of persons related crimes for police personnel, Mr. Reddy observed that in many cases the human traffickers and pimps were apprehended and sent to jail but came out on bail and resumed their nefarious activities again.

“We should see that stringent punishment and conviction is awarded to these accused,” he said.

Human trafficking is a brutal crime that has long-lasting negative impact on the victims. Trafficking for sexual exploitation in particular, completely erodes the dignity of the victim and the road back to a dignified life is a long and arduous one, Mr Reddy said.

He stated that human trafficking should be treated as an organised crime, as the gang is practising it for the gain by forcing minors not only in flesh trading but also as bonded labourers.

The police must under and analyse the network of networks and nab the kingpins by using data analytic tools to curb such crimes.

Mr. Reddy emphasised the need to analyse on why the culprits are not getting stringent punishment, “Court trials should be monitored on the priority basis by police and if the accused is a repeat offender, we must invoke PD Act. It is our responsibility to ensure that the perpetrators of this crime are punished with certainly following the process of law.”

Stating that the manual prepared by Prajwala foundation by taking inputs from front-line officers and anti-human trafficking experts will strengthen the efforts of police in gaining necessary knowledge, skills and attitude as the first responder to the crime of human trafficking, Mr. Reddy said that all police stations in the State have Anti Human Trafficking Units. Director of State Police Academy Santosh Mehra said that the manual will be included in the academy's curriculum very soon.

Earlier, a human trafficking victim, who was rescued by a Crime Investigation Department from a brothel and was sent to Prajwala home, thanked the police department for saving her from the clutches of culprits.

“After I was saved, I helped the police in rescuing 25 more girls from the same brothel,” she said, adding that she was trafficked when she was a minor.

Prajwala foundation general secretary Sunitha Krishnan said that in India 93 % of human trafficking is within the country and only 7% of victims are trafficked from Bangladesh, Nepal, Thailand and other neighbouring countries.

“In Hyderabad, most of the girls come from West Bengal and other northern states of the country,” she said.

Further, the DGP said that recently, the court has awarded 14 years of rigorous imprisonment for two persons who caught in engaging more than 250 child labourers in a bangle making unit in South Zone.