Nagaland: Wokha police claims one person goes missing every fourth day in the state

One person goes missing every fourth day in Nagaland, said Wokha additional SP K Soriso.

According to an official report on July 31, Soriso disclosed this while speaking at the observation of the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons at the Government Higher Secondary School Wokha auditorium on Sunday.

The police officer said among the 87 cases of missing persons registered in the past three years in the state, 83 per cent were below the age of 18 years.

Soriso emphasised the need to combat trafficking through awareness, institutional capacity building, training of law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and judges, as well as the enactment of relevant legislation and strengthening anti-trafficking measures.

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During the observation of the day in Dimapur, legal-cum-probationary officer, of the District Protection Unit Dimapur, Moajungla said Nagaland has been identified as a major point of trafficking in India. She added that wealth disparity and lack of employment opportunities have made the Northeast region vulnerable to human trafficking.

Highlighting the issues, challenges and available services related to trafficking, she said of 13% of the missing cases in Nagaland are attributed to trafficking. In the period from 2015 to 2021, 28 victims were rescued, out of which 26 were females.

The perpetrators have increasingly been using onsite recruitment and social media to lure victims into industries like hotels, parlours and spas with attractive salaries, Moajungla said. Once their mission is accomplished, the perpetrators erase all traces of their activities by deleting websites and accounts, she said.

The officer added that other factors that contribute to human trafficking in the region include migration from villages to towns and cities in search of better opportunities, unemployment, poverty, lack of education, substance abuse, runaway and homeless children, mental health issues, prostitution, demand for cheap labour and sex, lack of human rights protection, conflict, natural disasters and unsafe migration options.

“The victims of trafficking endure inhumane living conditions, poor diet and hygiene, physical abuse, and deprivation of basic healthcare rights. They are even vulnerable to organ trade and are subjected to sex trade enslavement,” she said.

Moajungla also highlighted the common challenges in combating trafficking which include victims' reluctance to report cases due to shame, stigma, fear, trauma and threats from high-profile perpetrators or mafia involved in trafficking.