Police in Arunachal Pradesh’s Namsai on Sunday claimed to have busted a human trafficking racket, during which they rescued 51 people, including 47 children, and arrested five alleged facilitators, officials reported. According to police, they achieved the breakthrough while probing a case of illegal procurement, trafficking and placement of children from economically vulnerable families.

Police said that deep-seated probe, field verification and coordinated operations across districts and states helped expand the tally of rescued children from 19 during the initial phase to 38 and to 51 people by the time the probe ended, including four adults.

Probe unearths wider trafficking network

One Ema Loyi was the last person to have been arrested by the police, who is said to be a native of the Kaba village in Namsai. She allegedly played the role of a facilitator, and with her arrest, the total number of arrested accused stands at five.

Namsai’s Superintendent of Police (SP) Sange Thinley said the probe is being spearheaded by Deputy SP Kengo Dirchi, the investigating officer, who is working in consonance with the District Child Protection Unit, Namsai Child Welfare Committee, Child Helpline and other child-welfare agencies.

Thinley told the media, “Statements of the traced and rescued children connected with the accused have been recorded before the Magistrate under Section 183 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).”

Meanwhile, police are also examining financial transactions and the money trail to establish the purpose, extent and the nature of the monetary dealings and assess the role of every arrested accused.

The investigation is centred on tracing the alleged network from parents and guardians through intermediaries to final recipients, as per officials.

Kids were lured with promises of better education

The probe in the case began on August 17, 2026, when an FIR was registered at the Namsai Police station. A complaint was lodged by the District Child Welfare Committee concerning the alleged illegal procurement and placement of minor children from economically vulnerable families.

During the initial crackdown, the cops rescued 19 children, of whom a major chunk was below eight years of age. They were traced from several locations, such as Mechuka in Shi-Yomi district, Aalo in West Siang, Pasighat in East Siang, Naharlagun and Itanagar in the Itanagar Capital Region, and Longding.

The first three accused who were arrested were female facilitators, a statement issued by the police read.

As the probe widened across Arunachal Pradesh and into neighbouring states, police traced or rescued 38 people, comprising 34 kids and four adults. A fourth alleged facilitator was arrested during this phase for her suspected role in transporting and placing victims illegally.

According to preliminary findings, the alleged network targeted vulnerable families by promising children better education and upbringing. The cops also stumbled upon financial transactions of between Rs 10,000 and Rs 50,000 per child between intermediaries and parents.

Officials in the know of the case said several rescued children had allegedly been placed as domestic workers or were being made to work in hotels after being taken under such promises.

Search for remaining victims underway

Police added that they are persevering in efforts to trace any remaining victims and piece together the complete chain of events. Authorities have chosen to withhold the identities and personal details of all minors to safeguard their dignity, privacy and legal rights.