45 youths, including minors, brought from Arunachal after rescue

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, December 30, 2025

As many as 45 youths, including seven minors, who were allegedly subjected to physical and mental exploitation in Arunachal Pradesh, were rescued and brought back safely to Tripura on Monday following coordinated efforts by the state police and labour department, officials said.

The rescue operation was launched after a complaint was lodged at Kailashahar police station on December 23 by workers from the Kalishasan and Rangrung tea estates in Unakoti district. The complainants alleged that 24 youths had been taken out of the state on December 9 on the assurance of better jobs and higher wages but were instead forced to work under inhuman conditions in Arunachal Pradesh.

According to officials, the youths were made to work for long hours without wages, denied adequate food and allegedly subjected to physical assault and mental harassment by their employers.

Following the complaint, Labour Minister and Chandipur MLA Tinku Roy took up the issue with the Arunachal Pradesh government and sought assistance for the safe rescue of the youths. Arunachal Pradesh Police traced and rescued the victims on December 24, officials said.

Officials from the Unakoti district labour department, along with police personnel from Kailashahar, subsequently travelled to Arunachal Pradesh to bring them back.

They arrived in Kailashahar on Monday evening and were taken to the local police station, where Roy interacted with them to gather details of their recruitment and transportation.

The minister said that besides the 24 youths mentioned in the complaint, another 21 were identified during the operation. Seven of the rescued youths were aged 16 and 17 years. Police have been directed to arrest Om Prakash Upadhyay, who allegedly facilitated their recruitment.

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