Guwahati,  The Railway Protection Force (RPF) of the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) rescued 686 persons, including minors and women, during the past one year, while 83 persons were rescued from being trafficked, officials said on Wednesday.

Chief Public Relations Officer of the NFR Sabyasachi De said that 686 persons were rescued during April, 2021 to March this year from trains, railway premises and stations in different operations conducted over the jurisdiction of the NFR.

The RPF also apprehended 24 persons during this period who were involved in human trafficking.

Between April 18 and 24, the RPF personnel rescued 12 persons, including minors, during routine checking at different trains and railway stations. The CPRO said that after the rescue of children and women, they hand over to the Childline, NGOs in India working for child labour, child trafficking, child abuse, child marriage, homeless and hapless child.

De said that on April 22, acting on information that a lady ran away from home, a team of RPF escorting party along with Railway Protection Special Force of Dimapur (Nagaland) conducted a search for the lady in the Guwahati-bound Avadh Assam Express.

Later, the rescued lady was taken to Dimapur by RPF and handed over to her family members.

RPF train escort parties and staff deployed at stations have been alerted and sensitised to be vigilant and on the lookout for suspected persons involved in human trafficking as well as the movement of children in a suspicious manner, travelling alone, without proper guardian.

A new initiative under "Meri Saheli" has been formed over NFR and functioning round the clock to make aware women and child passengers about the safety and security and use of helpline number 139 in case of any exigency, the CPRO said.

The NFR, one among the 17 railway zones in India, operates fully and partially in six of the eight northeastern states, excluding Meghalaya and Sikkim, as well as seven districts of West Bengal and five districts of north Bihar.