Jihadi child trafficking continues in Kerala

Kochi: Child trafficking is back in Kerala. Going by the latest reports, this has been going on with the help of Islamic orphanages, as part of the ploy to sustain aided schools, before the academic year begins. The 29 children, who were thus smuggled from other states into the orphanage in Mukkom, were taken into custody by Railways police, from Ernakulam railways station. It must be remembered that the case of children being trafficked from other states was exposed in May 2014. However, with the state government donning a conveniently lax attitude towards the matter, the latest incident has not come as a surprise. There are reports that the same is likely to continue.

Sources have revealed that the plan was to take to Juma Athul Kubra Islamic complex in Nettoor, Ernakulam. Mohammed Saifullah, the Malayali caretaker who had come along with the children has also been taken into custody. The children are said to have arrived by Nizamuddhin Mangala Lakshadweep Express. 

Suspecting fraudulence, passengers are said to have alerted Railway Police, ho swung to the spot. It has been reported that children from the age group of 5 and 12 from Odisha, Bihar, Haryana and Delhi. Out of the 29 children, 22 are said to be inmates of orphanages since 3years and 7 of them, new comers. Other than rail tickets, the children had no other documents or certificates in their possession. They have been handed over to authorities of Child Line.

Since 3 years, orphanage authorities have been dodging submission of legal details pertaining to inmates of the orphanage. Kanthapuram AP Abu Baker Musaliyar is the president of the orphanage under AP section, having around 80 inmates.

Last year as many as 450 children hailing from various parts of Northern India heading for Mukkom were taken into custody by Railway Police. The shameful episode brought to light the horrifying case o child trafficking, which has been continuing for many years. Even though it snowballed into a controversy, the state government did nothing to take the investigation further. Eventually the case stood sabotaged, in spite of there being strong reasons to implement strict laws that would take into legal account all those orphanages that functioned unlawfully. 

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