NEW DELHI, Nov. 3: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notices to the governments and police chiefs of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra over allegations that minor girls are being sold by their parents to middlemen, who subsequently traffic them using forged adoption documents.
Taking suo motu cognisance of a media report, the human rights body expressed serious concern over the alleged exploitation of children in several districts along the Madhya Pradesh-Rajasthan border.
According to the report, parents allegedly sell their minor daughters to intermediaries for amounts ranging between Rs 3 lakh and Rs 5 lakh. The middlemen are then accused of arranging their transfer to different locations using fabricated documents that falsely identify the girls as their adopted children.
The Commission further noted allegations that, after reaching adulthood, these girls are sold in various cities across Maharashtra for amounts ranging from Rs 35 lakh to Rs 40 lakh, reportedly for sexual exploitation. Their personal details are allegedly altered to conceal their identities and make it difficult to trace their backgrounds.
The NHRC observed that, if established, the allegations point to grave violations of the human rights of the affected children and highlight the seriousness of organised trafficking and exploitation.
In response, the Commission has sought detailed reports from the chief secretaries and directors general of police of all three states. The authorities have been asked to submit their responses within two weeks, the NHRC said in an official statement.
The media report, published on October 30, highlighted how financial hardship and other circumstances allegedly drive some parents to hand over their daughters to middlemen in exchange for money.
It also cited four specific cases involving girls who were reportedly trafficked through such networks.
The Commission’s intervention seeks to draw the attention of the concerned state administrations and law enforcement agencies towards the alleged trafficking operations and the circumstances that enable them to continue.
The matter has also raised concerns over the misuse of adoption-related documentation to facilitate the movement of children and conceal their identities.
The NHRC’s notices are aimed at obtaining information from the three state governments regarding the reported incidents and the action taken by their respective authorities.
The alleged involvement of intermediaries, the reported use of forged records and the possibility of exploitation across state boundaries underline the need for coordinated investigations and effective measures to protect vulnerable children.