A special team of the Crime Branch left for Jharkhand on Wednesday to investigate the suspected trafficking of 589 children from Jharkhand, Bihar, and West Bengal to orphanages in northern Kerala.
The seven-member team led by Deputy SP P. Mohanachandran left for Ranchi by train and would visit Gonda district, as the majority of children hailed from the district.
The officials took the prime suspect Shakeel Ahmed along with them to collect further evidence.
Talking to The Hindu , Crime Branch Superintendent P. Sudhakaran Pillai said the investigation was fast progressing and special teams would be deputed to Bihar and West Bengal soon.
He said the team would also coordinate with the Jharkhand Police to trace the parents of the children and collect evidence.
The team would also focus on middlemen who allegedly paid cash to parents to get their children for the orphanages in Kerala.
