34 children trafficked to Ludhiana from Jharkhand Bihar LUDHIANA Thirty-four children, mostly tribals, were allegedly trafficked from Bihar and Jharkhand to Ludhiana in Punjab and some were converted to Christianity, a police official said on Wednesday. They were lodged in a missionary-run child shelter home in Ludhiana, revealed G Kranthi Kumar, superintendent of police, West Singhbhum, Jharkhand. Kumar said the police swung into action after Jyotsana Tirkey, a member of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) in Chaibasa, lodged a complaint on August 26. More ... Mrunal Thakur Never ask a girl to be quiet or to tolerate abuse The experience of working on a hard-hitting film like ‘Love Sonia’ has changed actress Mrunal Thakur’s perspective completely. She had honed her skills on Indian television and commercials, but when she opted for this unconventional debut in Bollywood, little did she know that the global setting, the phenomenal cast and director Tabrez Noorani’s film will bring her face to face with such dramatic highs and lows. In a chat with BT, the actress talks about her journey so far, about playing a character that has drained her emotionally and why she thinks prostitutes deserve respect. Excerpts… After travelling to film festivals, ‘Love Sonia’ is finally gearing up to release in India. How do you look back at the experience of working on your debut film? The experience of working on a hard-hitting film like ‘Love Sonia’ has changed actress Mrunal Thakur’s perspective completely. More ... Human trafficking racket busted, 1 booked Bijnor A case of human trafficking has been unearthed by police here wherein poor people from other states were lured in the name of securing jobs, sold and forced to either beg or work as ragpickers without being paid. A “contractor” has been booked and two women and five children from Assam were rescued on Saturday. Police conducted a raid after two cases came to their attention and rescued seven members of a family — the children had been forced to beg and the two women had to work as ragpickers for past three months. Police swung into action after getting missing person complaints from other states. More ... 30 children missing from Punjab shelter home converted to Christianity An FIR has been lodged with the Chaibasa police in West Singhbhum district in connection with a case where 30 children from Jharkhand went missing from a shelter home in Punjab’s Ludhiana district, police said on Tuesday. The complaint filed before the anti-human trafficking unit (AHTU) of the Chaibasa police also accused the Ludhiana-based Paskin Mary Cross Child Shelter Home of converting the children to Christianity, police said. More ... School principal arrested for allegedly molesting girl students in Gujarat The principal of a residential school in Gujarat’s Narmada district has been arrested on charges of molesting girl students, police said Monday. Four girls, in the age group of 14 to 17 years, alleged that the principal, Harshad Patel (36), molested them on several occasions in the recent past, Assistant Superintendent of Police Achal Tyagi said. Based on a complaint filed by one of the students of the government-funded school, located in Garudeshwar town, Patel was arrested Saturday, he said. More ... 17 women in Bihar rescued from orchestra band allege sexual abuse A police officer said the rescued women alleged the orchestra band organisers used to exploit them sexually. Seventeen women, including five minor girls, have been rescued by police in Bihar’s East Champaran district from alleged sex and human traffickers, who managed an orchestra group, officials said. Police said the women and girls were rescued after raids at two places in Balwa Rai village near Mahnava Bazar under Turkaulia police station limits of the district, about 195 km north of Patna, on Monday morning. More ... Man arrested for sexual abuse of minor Held for sexually abusing minor A 28-year-old man was arrested under the POCSO Act on charges of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in Selaiyur on Sunday. Recently, Silambarasan, 28, a resident of Kancheepuram, who plays drums at temples, befriended the girl and had sexually assaulted her. Held for sexually abusing minor A 28-year-old man was arrested under the POCSO Act on charges of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in Selaiyur on Sunday. Recently, Silambarasan, 28, a resident of Kancheepuram, who plays drums at temples, befriended the girl and had sexually assaulted her. More ... Police seek psychologist’s help in rape case Vashi police are likely to seek the help of a psychologist in the rape case of a nine-year-old girl after investigation revealed that the victim’s statements turned out to be false. A police officer from Vashi police said,“The child seems disturbed and afraid. She kept changing her statements and we have found that she made them up. She claimed that an unidentified person sexually abused her in the watchman’s toilet at school. She said the area was crowded at the time, but nobody can stuff a cloth into a child’s mouth, blindfold her and drag her into a toilet with people around.” Vashi police are likely to seek the help of a psychologist in the rape case of a nine-year-old girl after investigation revealed that the victim’s statements turned out to be false. A police officer from Vashi police said, More ... Venezuela’s crisis boosts trafficking risk for women, children – experts Its very difficult for Venezuelan migrants because they come across major illegal groups who take advantage of their vulnerability. Weve heard several testimonies of the sexual exploitation and trafficking of women, an expert said. Migrant women and children fleeing Venezuela’s economic collapse are at heightened risk of sexual exploitation and trafficking on their journeys seeking refuge across South America, aid agencies said on Wednesday. More ... Six Indian nationals among several arrested by US immigration authorities More than half of the aliens arrested by ERO deportation officers during this operation had prior criminal history. Six Indian nationals are among over 300 people arrested by American authorities for criminal activities and violating the country’s immigration laws during a month-long crackdown across six states. Federal officers with the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) arrested 364 criminal aliens and immigration violators during a 30-day enforcement action across Indiana, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri and Wisconsin. More ... Shelter home rape case CBI submits progress report More than half of the aliens arrested by ERO deportation officers during this operation had prior criminal history. Six Indian nationals are among over 300 people arrested by American authorities for criminal activities and violating the country’s immigration laws during a month-long crackdown across six states. Federal officers with the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) arrested 364 criminal aliens and immigration violators during a 30-day enforcement action across Indiana, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri and Wisconsin. More ... | 
