Siliguri, July 15: Two minor girls from Malda district, aged 12 and 11, who had gone missing from their homes, were rescued safely in Siliguri by the New Jalpaiguri (NJP) Police in a swift operation carried out on the basis of credible intelligence. Investigators suspect the children were lured through an online gaming platform, and the possibility of an international human trafficking link is now under examination.
According to police, specific information was received on July 14 regarding the movement of the two missing girls. Acting quickly on the tip-off, a special team of the NJP Police launched an operation in the Naukaghat More area of Siliguri and recovered both children unharmed before they could come into contact with the people they were allegedly being taken to meet.
The sequence of events began after the girls disappeared from their homes in Malda and their families reported the matter to the authorities. During the inquiry, investigators learned that the two minors were travelling to Siliguri by bus and were expected to meet certain individuals at the Tenzing Norgay Bus Terminus, one of the busiest transport hubs in North Bengal.
Once this information was confirmed, the NJP Police began tracking the bus in real time. The team intercepted the vehicle near Jalpai More and rescued both girls safely before they reached the terminus. They were brought to the police station, and their family members were informed immediately. The relatives later arrived at the station and were united with the children.
What has alarmed investigators most is the manner in which the girls appear to have been targeted. Preliminary findings suggest that the two minors were first contacted through an online gaming platform. Police say the children were then allegedly introduced to online training sessions in a foreign language and were being enticed with promises of being taken abroad. Officers believe this pattern points towards a carefully planned grooming operation rather than a chance encounter.
Following the rescue, BJP leader and former English Bazar MLA Sreerupa Mitra Chaudhury visited the police station and met the two girls. She praised the NJP Police for their prompt and effective action, saying the timely intervention had prevented what could have turned into a major tragedy. She, however, declined to comment further on the case, noting that the investigation is still at an early stage.
The focus of the probe has now shifted to identifying the individuals who contacted the minors through social media and online gaming platforms. Investigators are examining the digital trail, including chat records and the applications used, to establish who was behind the contact and what the intended destination of the girls was. Police are also probing whether the case is connected to an organised international human trafficking network or any other criminal conspiracy operating across state or national borders.
Officials have stated that no further details will be disclosed until the investigation reaches a conclusive stage, keeping in mind the safety of the children and the integrity of the probe. The rescued girls have been handed over to the investigating team of the concerned police station for further legal procedures, including counselling and formal statements as required under child protection laws.
Meanwhile, the Siliguri Police Commissionerate has reaffirmed its commitment to the safety and protection of children in the region. In an advisory, the authorities urged parents and guardians to closely monitor their children’s online activities, especially on gaming platforms and social media, where strangers can easily initiate contact with minors. Families have been asked to immediately report any suspicious online behaviour, unexplained contacts, or cases of missing children to the nearest police station.
The case has once again highlighted the growing use of online platforms by traffickers and predators to reach children directly, bypassing the traditional safeguards of home and school. With Siliguri serving as a key transit corridor connecting Bengal, the Northeast, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh, police agencies in the region have repeatedly flagged the area as sensitive for trafficking-related movement, making rapid interventions like this one critical.
