Two persons have been arrested by the Parassala railway police in connection with the detention on Thursday of 144 youngsters from Odisha while they were on their way to work in a garment factory at Kazhakuttam here.
Sub-inspector Anil Kumar said Rabi Narayan Mishra, who accompanied the group, and Jayarajan, purchase manager at Kanyakumari Exports (Pvt.) Ltd, a garment factory at the Kinfra International Apparel Park, Kazhakuttam, where the youngsters had reportedly secured jobs, were arrested, produced in court, and remanded.
The youngsters, he said, did not possess proper documents, and there were some discrepancies between names on the list of those who had secured placements and those actually on the train.
The minors in the group, nine boys and seven girls, have been moved to the Children’s Home at Poojappura and the Kudumbasree-run Snehitha at Vazhuthacaud, respectively.
The Child Welfare Committee, meanwhile, has asked the District Child Protection Unit (DCPU) here to contact the DCPUs concerned in Odisha, and the District Child Protection Officer to conduct an investigation.
The women, numbering 90, have been moved to Sree Chitra Home, and the 38 men have been separately housed at the Poojappura Children’s Home.
They will be accommodated at these places till alternative accommodation is arranged for them in consultation with the District Collector.
The investigation in the case has been handed over to Railway Circle Inspector Karunakaran P.P.
