VIJAYAWADA: Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) are worried about the city becoming a major transit point for human trafficking where thousands of women and children are being trafficked by various gangs in the State. Pandit Nehru Bus Station and railway junction have become major transit points for trafficking.
According to NGOs, after the State bifurcation, rehabilitation of rescued women and children has been very low in the last two-and-a-half-years. Retired senior police official in Crime Investigation Department (CID) of Andhra Pradesh said that Vijayawada was one among the major transit points for human trafficking in the world. “There are around 32 lakh women and children in 1,104 brothels in India,” the official said.
According to HELP organisation founder N Ram Mohan Rao, who recently received President’s award for his contribution in rescuing women and children from trafficking, said that after the State bifurcation, the State government is not providing enough support to Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTU) to keep strict monitoring on trafficking operations, especially in Vijayawada.
"Coming to rescue operations and rehabilitation of victims, our State has shown very poor improvement in the past couple of years. Lot of awareness has to be created especially among the media persons," Ram Mohan Rao added.
Human trafficking can be classified as sexual exploitation, bonded labour, organ transplantation and molecule testing. These are operating as an organised crime in which women from marginalised sections of SC and ST communities are becoming targets for the trafficking mafia. Ram Mohan Rao noted that it is a misconception that only the girl child will be trafficked but a large number of boys are also being trafficked.
In Andhra Pradesh, women and children from almost all mandals of East and West Godavari districts have become vulnerable to trafficking. Districts like Anantapur are on top followed by Ongole. In these districts, places like Kadiri, Rayachoti, Rajampeta, Madanapalle, Rajol, Peddapuram, Palakol, Nidadavolu and Ongole have recorded highest number of victims. Interestingly, Coastal Andhra districts are almost free from this trafficking mafia.
In Andhra Pradesh, around 3.2 lakh victims were identified. Across the country, 32 lakh victims, 220 vulnerable mandals and 6 crore bonded labour were identified. They were trafficked for food, shelter, prostitution and bonded labour.
There are several trafficking networks operating in India like Bhivandi (Thane) network, Delhi network, Chennai-Bengaluru network, Yavathmal network and Mumbai network. In every network, Vijayawada has its key role being used as a transit point.