By News On Air Jul 01, 2026
Agartala, July 1 (FD) In two major operations against crimes involving children, Tripura Police rescued four missing minor girls from Gujarat and Assam in separate interstate missions and arrested two accused persons allegedly involved in kidnapping. Investigators are also probing possible links to human trafficking and forced labour.
The successful operations, carried out with the assistance of police in Gujarat and Assam, underscore the growing role of swift interstate coordination and technology-driven investigations in tracing missing children.
Three Girls Rescued from Gujarat Within 48 Hours
In the first case, three 16-year-old girls from Ganganagar in Dhalai district were rescued from Ahmedabad within 48 hours of their disappearance.
According to police, the girls had left their homes to charge their mobile phones at the nearby 19 Mile area as their village was facing a power outage. When they failed to return, anxious family members launched a search before approaching Ganganagar Police Station.
Based on complaints filed by the parents, police registered a case after allegations surfaced that a local youth, Mukesh Reang (26), a resident of Ullemchhara village under Ganganagar Police Station, had allegedly lured the girls away with the promise of employment outside the state.
An investigation was immediately launched under the supervision of Sub-Inspector Swapan Debbarma. During the probe, investigators traced the movement of the accused and the girls to Gujarat.
Working closely with Gujarat Police, Tripura Police coordinated a rescue operation. On Tuesday evening, Gujarat Police intercepted the group immediately after they arrived in Ahmedabad, rescued all three girls safely, and detained the accused.
A criminal case has been registered against Mukesh Reang under Sections 137(2) and 143(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
A Tripura Police team is travelling to Gujarat to complete legal formalities and bring back the rescued girls and the accused.
Investigators suspect the accused transported the girls by train after allegedly luring them with false promises of jobs. Police are examining whether the victims were being taken for human trafficking, forced labour, or other forms of exploitation. The accused will be interrogated to determine whether a larger trafficking network is involved.
Missing Dharmanagar Girl Traced to Guwahati
In another breakthrough, Dharmanagar Women Police Station rescued a 16-year-old girl from the Borjhar area of Guwahati nearly a month after she went missing from East Haflong village under Dharmanagar subdivision.
Officer-in-Charge Shipra Das said the girl had disappeared on June 2, leaving her daily-wage labourer parents distraught. After unsuccessful efforts to trace her, the girl's mother lodged a formal complaint with the Women Police Station on June 10.
Police registered Case No. 13/2026 under Sections 137(2) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and launched a detailed investigation.
Leading the investigation, OC Shipra Das and her team recovered an old mobile phone number used by the missing girl. Through technical surveillance and digital tracking, investigators traced her location to Borjhar in Guwahati.
With assistance from Assam Police and local intelligence, the girl was rescued safely and the accused, identified as Jewel Sarkar (25), a truck driver from Janardhan Para under Pecharthal Police Station in Unakoti district, was arrested.
Police are questioning the accused to establish the circumstances surrounding the girl's disappearance and to ascertain whether any trafficking, coercion, or exploitation was intended.
Human Trafficking Network Under Scanner
Senior police officials said both operations highlight the importance of rapid police response, interstate cooperation, and the effective use of technology in locating missing children.
Investigators are now examining whether the two incidents have any links to organised human trafficking syndicates operating across state borders. Further arrests have not been ruled out as the investigations continue.
Police have urged parents and guardians to report cases of missing children without delay, emphasising that prompt reporting significantly enhances the chances of safe rescue and enables law enforcement agencies to act swiftly against trafficking and child exploitation networks. FD JK