Easy prey to trafficking

Child trafficking is basically a social crime and, therefore, needs to be primarily dealt with at the community level. We strongly feel that mass awareness should be built against such an organised crime. The electronic media with its long reach can be an effective vehicle for putting across the right messages to the rural audience, in particular. The authorities could organise programmes aimed at exposing the traps laid by trafficking rackets as well as illustrating the dangers of talking to complete strangers in different modes of transport like trains, buses and launches.

The programme should simultaneously send signals to prospective evildoers about the severity of punishment as envisaged in the law applicable to child trafficking. Extensive media coverage could be given to examples of speedy dispensation of justice already meted out and punishment given to perpetrators of the crime. One wonders as to what happened to a number of cases involving trafficking of children for use as camel jockeys in some of the Arab countries.

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On the policing side, some reinforced measures are needed. We already have some police presence in trains and launches. The members of law enforcement agencies and the transport operators should be especially motivated and trained in dealing with prospective offenders. This could be organized without any additional cost or extraordinary effort on the part of either the administration or the respective transport operators.

Child trafficking should be dealt with severely. It has already reached alarming proportions damaging the nation's credibility both at home and abroad. We are highly concerned about it.