Operation AAHT

In news– Recently, Railway Protection Force has launched “Operation AAHT” a nationwide operation to curb human trafficking.

About Operation AAHT-

As part of this operation, special teams will be deployed on all long-distance trains/routes.
It will focus on rescuing victims, particularly women and children, from the clutches of traffickers.
With this operation, the infrastructure and intelligence network of the force could be utilised to collect, collate and analyse clues on victims, source, route, destination, popular trains used by suspects, identity of carriers/agents, kingpins etc and shared with other law-enforcing agencies.
The RPF could act as a bridge cutting across States to assist the local police in the mission to curb the menace.

About Human Trafficking-

Human trafficking is the trade of humans for the purpose of forced labour, sexual slavery, or commercial sexual exploitation for the trafficker or others, forced marriage, domestic servitude, organ transplant, drug peddling etc and is an organised crime.
The Indian Railways, which transported over 23 million passengers each day (pre-pandemic), is the largest, fastest and most reliable carrier for suspects who trafficked scores of women and children.
The National Crime Records Bureau registers about 2,200 cases of Human Trafficking cases on an average each year.
Trafficking in Human Beings or Persons is prohibited under the Constitution of India under Article 23 (1).
In India, trafficking is primarily an offence under the Indian Penal Code, 1860.
It defines trafficking as (i) recruitment, (ii) transportation, (iii) harbouring, (iv) transfer, or (v) receipt of a person for exploitation by use of certain forceful means.
Some of the specific legislations enacted relating to trafficking in women and children are: Protection of Children from Sexual offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, The Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 (ITPA), Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976, Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1994.
Recently, the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare has proposed Trafficking in Persons (Prevention, Care and Rehabilitation) Bill, 2021.