Guwahati: Delhi Police have uncovered and dismantled a human trafficking network that was smuggling young Bangladeshi women into India for forced prostitution, revealing a disturbing trade route passing through Assam and Meghalaya.
The operation came to light during an investigation into a murder case in New Delhi, which exposed the exploitation of the region’s porous borders to transport victims to the capital.
On Saturday evening, authorities arrested Animul Islam, a key figure in the trafficking ring.
Islam, a resident of Krishnai in Assam’s Goalpara district, allegedly used his vehicle to transport victims across the Meghalaya-Assam border.
The investigation revealed that four Bangladeshi women, connected to the murder case, were victims of human trafficking.
Police claim the deceased and an accomplice, Anis, were actively involved in supplying these women to Delhi’s sex trade.
ALSO READ: Prime accused in arms haul case arrested in Assam’s Kokrajhar
This case highlights the growing threat of human trafficking in the region.
Assam accounted for 22% of India’s trafficking cases in 2015, largely due to conflict and climate-induced displacements.
According to 2018 reports, an estimated 50,000 Bangladeshi women and children are trafficked into India each year, with many being forced into urban brothels.
Experts stress the urgent need to address trafficking through Assam and Meghalaya’s porous borders, calling for improved surveillance and stronger regional cooperation.
