Woman booked for trafficking held

The Charkop police on Wednesday finally succeeded in arresting the 47-year-old woman who they had booked on October 12 for allegedly trafficking a 14-year-old girl from a poor village in the militant-hit Karbi Anglong district in Central Assam and making her work as a “slave” at her home in Kandivali (west). The woman is said to have clout with a political party here and hence managed to evade arrest.

The accused, Padmini Nikhar went again to the Dongri correction home on Wednesday evening and got into a heated argument with the officials for booking her in the case. The Dongri police officials were called and they took her to the police station. The Charkop police was then relayed the information and they took her into custody.

Confirming the development, investigating officer, police sub-inspector Anita Tore said, “We have arrested her and she will be produced before the Dindoshi sessions court on Thursday where we will seek her custody.” The Charkop police confirmed that the woman was using her influence to evade arrest.

Accused Nikhar is a resident of Sector 5 in Charkop area and had brought the girl from Kolongo Mukh village in Dankamukam over a year ago. Senior police inspector Ramchandra Gaikwad of Charkop police said, “She is a shrewd woman. She needed a domestic help so she brought the girl from a poor village.”

Ms Tore said, “Every time we went to arrest her, she locked the house. There is a child labour case against her at the MHB Colony police station lodged in 2010 and another cheating case. She claims she runs an NGO, but has no documents to support her claims. We registered the case after Childline complained to us.” A police source said, “She called on the 103 women’s helpline and said she has clout in the human rights commission and Mantralaya.”

Nikhar has been booked under non-bailable Sections 370 (buying or disposing of any person as a slave), 374 (unlawful compulsory labour) of the IPC and relevant sections of the Juvenile Justice Act. The girl is now 15-years-old and will be repatriated by the CWC.