3-Year-Old Girl Allegedly Trafficked by State Shelter Staff in Tripura

The mother of the child appealed to Chief Minister Manik Saha for intervention.

A woman from Baniyachhara, under Melaghar Police Station in Tripura’s Sepahijala district, has accused officials of a state-run shelter of taking her 3-year-old daughter under false pretenses.

According to the complaint, the woman had earlier admitted two of her daughters to the Narsingarh State Foundling Home due to financial constraints.

She later attempted to place her youngest daughter in the same shelter.

She alleged that Child Welfare Officer Nivedita Dutta and her husband Arindam Deb, an assistant public prosecutor and an official of the Home, took the child from her at the West Agartala Court after misleading her and allegedly offering money.

The mother claimed she was subsequently denied access to the child and faced threats when she tried to follow up.

She later approached the Sepahijala district Child Welfare Committee, which placed her under protective custody and initiated a search operation in coordination with Childline.

A police complaint was lodged at Melaghar Police Station on Saturday.

The woman also appealed to Chief Minister Manik Saha for intervention.

In response, the Social Welfare and Social Education Department confirmed that showcause notices have been issued to two individuals, one a department official and the other an outsourced employee.

Social Welfare and Social Education Department Minister Tinku Roy admitted that the child’s adoption did not follow due legal process but denied that the child was missing from the shelter.

He stated that a police investigation is underway and assured strict action if wrongdoing is established.

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