A team of Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA), along with officials of the district child protection department and Railway Protection Force, on Thursday rescued at least eight children who were allegedly being trafficked to Punjab for alleged bonded labor. The teams from all three departments carried out the rescue operation at Ludhiana Railway Station on Thursday. Yadwinder from BBA said that they had received a tip-off that some children were being brought to Punjab from Bihar on the Karmabhoomi Express. These children were travelling on different coaches. A complaint was made to the district child protection office and railway protection force. When the train arrived at platform 2 of Ludhiana station, inspection teams checked five coaches of the train and rescued as many as eight children. Yadwinder said that of the eight rescued children, four belonged to Bihar and four were from West Bengal. A complaint regarding the same has been lodged at the Government Railway Police Station and the children will be produced before the Child Welfare committee (CWC). "The children will be counseled and the CWC will initiate action as per their statements," he said.
