163 minor boys rescued from train in suspected trafficking case
Babushahi Bureau
Katni (Madhya Pradesh), April 12, 2026: In a major intervention, authorities deboarded 163 minor children from a train at Katni railway station after receiving information about their suspicious transit from Bihar to Maharashtra. The incident has triggered a multi-agency investigation to ascertain the purpose and circumstances of the journey.
According to officials, the children—mostly belonging to the same community—were travelling from Araria district in Bihar to Latur in Maharashtra on the Patna–Pune Express. They were reportedly being taken to a madrasa when authorities acted on a tip-off and intercepted the group at Platform No. 5 of Katni station.
The Railway Protection Force (RPF), in coordination with the Women and Child Development Department and railway officials, immediately stepped in and safely removed all the children from the train. Several adults accompanying them are currently being questioned to determine the intent behind the travel and whether proper procedures were followed.
For safety and verification, the children have been shifted to the RPF station, where counselling is being conducted and their documents are being examined. Officials are also working to establish contact with the families of the minors.
A joint team of around 20 officials from the Women and Child Development Department and the Child Welfare Committee, led by Manish Tiwari and Durgesh Sharma, was present on-site during the operation. Additionally, nearly 27 personnel from the RPF, Government Railway Police (GRP), and local police carried out the coordinated action.