IMPHAL, July 14: Following a request from Kuki Students Association of Bangalore, Praja Rajakiya Vedike managed to rescue two teenage girls from city houses where they were placed as domestic helps against their will by an agent who trafficked them from Manipur, said a press release from the group based in Banagalore.
“Two girls, who are just 19-year-old, where lured by an agent and were promised jobs in a beauty parlour as beauticians for a salary of Rs.5000 per month along with free food and accommodation. They were brought to Bangalore by train by a Manipuri man from Moirang. The two girls from Churachandpur district in Manipur were handed over to another agent Mala in Bangalore. Mala, who also speaks Manipuri, stays in the city with her husband and after keeping the two girls for a couple of days they were both separated and placed as domestic maids, one in Banashankari and the other in JP Nagar on June 1,” said Manohar Elavarthi of PRV, which ran a helpline for North East students during the earlier exodus crisis in Bangalore.
“The girls who were promised training in a Beauty Clinic job were not happy with the job of maid and as they could not speak Hindi, English or Kannada were isolated and living in fear. They wanted to go back to Manipur but they were not allowed to go out nor talk to anyone. When we spoke to the girls they revealed that their mobile phones were taken away and they got them back only after a week. But they found that all their contact numbers were deleted. One of the girls, managed to call her mother back in Manipur, who in turn enquired with the agent there,” the release went on to add.
After their parents failed to get any proper response, they apparently filed a police complaint and an FIR both in Moyrang and Churachandpur. Later, they informed the Kuki Students Association in Churachandpur who requested the local Kuki Students Association of Bangalore.
Members of PRV managed to locate the Agent and convinced him to get the girl to a public place for talks. “Two middlemen of the agent brought one girl. “We met outside the Forum mall and began talks with them. They initially demanded Rs.30,000 for expenses that incurred on the girls and said only if the amount is paid, the girls would be released. However, we managed to mobilise the public and did not allow them to take back the girl. We threatened them of police action and one of the agents took our activist and left the other girl with him and disappeared,” Manohar said.
“The girls are provided a safe place by the North East Welfare Association of Karnataka and police (DCP South and Adugodi Police) were also informed about the details when they called us,” he added.
The Praja Rajakiya Vedike has demanded that the police of both the states trace and alert the traffickers immediately and want the police to investigate into the racket and find out if other victims are still untraced. Calling for the the arrests of those involved under anti-trafficking and SC, ST Prevention of Atrocities Act. PRV has also demanded better protection for people of North East in Bangalore while calling for clear regulations for protection of migrants and others in the informal sector.