Child Trafficking Concerns Rise in Tripura as Khowai Police Recover Four Missing Minor Girls from Outside the State

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, September 9, 2026

Concerns over the growing vulnerability of children to trafficking and exploitation in Tripura have come into sharper focus following the recovery of four missing minor girls from different parts of the country by Khowai District Police in recent months. The girls were traced to Birbhum and Kolkata in West Bengal, Guwahati in Assam and Goa, highlighting the need for sustained vigilance and stronger inter-State coordination in cases involving missing children.

According to Khowai District Police, five missing persons, including four minor girls and one adult woman, have been successfully traced and safely recovered from different parts of the country during the last six months. The recoveries were carried out under the close supervision of Superintendent of Police, Khowai District, Shri Bogati Jagadeeswar Reddy, IPS, and with the involvement of senior police officers and the Officers-in-Charge of the concerned police stations.

The operations were spearheaded by the District Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU), Khowai, with active involvement from Women Police Station, Khowai, led by W/Inspr. Mina Debbarma. Police said sustained investigation, regular follow-up with families, coordination with child-protection authorities and effective liaison with police agencies in other States were crucial in locating the missing persons.

The District Cyber Cell also played an important role by using technical analysis and mobile tracking to identify the whereabouts of the missing persons. These technical inputs were combined with field-level investigation and coordination with police authorities, the Railway Protection Force (RPF), Child Welfare Committee (CWC), Childline and other child-protection agencies.

In one particularly significant case, technical analysis indicated that a missing minor girl was travelling by train towards Guwahati. Her photograph and identity details were immediately circulated to the RPF Control Room at Maligaon, leading to her successful recovery. In another case, coordination with Anjuna Police Station in Goa resulted in the recovery of a minor girl from the custody of an accused person.

The cases in West Bengal were also resolved through close coordination with local police and shelter-home authorities in Birbhum and Kolkata, ensuring that the recovered girls were subsequently restored to their lawful guardians. The adult woman who had been traced to Bengaluru was also safely facilitated to return home.

While the police statement describes these incidents primarily as missing-person cases, the recovery of four minor girls from locations far outside Tripura underlines the serious risks faced by vulnerable children who go missing and the potential threat of trafficking and exploitation. The cases also demonstrate how children can move across State boundaries, making rapid information sharing, technical surveillance and inter-State police coordination critical to their safe recovery.

Khowai District Police said the recent recoveries are in addition to numerous cases involving missing adults and minors that have been successfully traced within Khowai District and elsewhere in Tripura by the district's police stations.

The recent operations highlight the importance of a technology-driven and victim-centric approach to missing-child investigations.

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