The Hindu : New Delhi News : Police meet on tackling human trafficking

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 22, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

Police meet on tackling human trafficking

Devesh K. Pandey

Planned manual to be introduced in police training colleges

NEW DELHI: The Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) on Monday held a meeting with police officers from different States, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and some non-government organisations to plan a manual for sensitising the force on issues pertaining to human trafficking and child labour.

It is learnt that during the meeting, the BPR&D sought inputs from the participants on the contents of the manual that would probably be made a part of the curriculum in the police training colleges in the near future. The participants agreed upon the need to come up with a series of instructions for efficient handling of cases related to human trafficking, child labour and even illegal organ transplants.

The manual, as discussed, would also focus on increasing awareness among police officers about provisions of the Indian Penal Code, the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act and the Immoral Trafficking (Prevention) Act, which would help them handle the cases with the needed care and perfection. The manual would also comprise details of certain cases in which investigations were carried out in a proper manner, to make the officers aware of the ways to tackle cases of human trafficking and other related issues.

The Station House Officer (SHO) of Kamla Market police station, under whose jurisdiction a red-light area falls, represented the Delhi police at the meeting.

In a related development, the Home Ministry is planning to organise a series of meetings -- funded by the UNODC -- to sensitise officers, of Inspector and above ranks, about the human trafficking scenario to enhance their understanding of the issue, so that they take up the matter on a priority basis.

"At present, the status is such that even senior police officers are unaware of the ground realities in this area," said an NGO activist.

The programme would throw light on relevant though underused provisions of the IPC, the ITP Act and the Juvenile Justice Act so that they could be used more judiciously, informed Ajit Joy of the UNODC. The meetings, which are scheduled to start this September, would be organised in West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Goa and other States.

Incidentally, in the latest Trafficking in Person report released by the United States earlier this month, India was criticised for not making required efforts to curb human trafficking within and outside the country.

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