Guwahati: The latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data for 2024 has revealed a mixed picture of human trafficking in Northeast India, with most states reporting very low numbers of registered cases, victims and arrests, while Assam emerged as the region’s most affected state.
The findings gain significance amid several recent studies and policy reports warning that the Northeast remains vulnerable to trafficking because of poverty, migration, porous international borders, displacement and weak conviction rates.
Trafficking in persons is a serious crime that gravely violates basic human rights. Traffickers often exploit the vulnerabilities of people by making false promises of jobs, better living conditions and support for their families.
Such promises may appear legitimate, but they make many men, women and children easy prey for exploitation.
According to the NCRB’s Crime in India 2024 report, Assam recorded 108 human trafficking cases during the year — the highest in the Northeast — followed by Tripura with 62 and Arunachal Pradesh with eight. Meghalaya reported just one case, while Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim recorded none.
The data showed that 155 trafficking victims were identified in Assam, including 96 children below 18 years. Of the total victims in the state, 126 were female and 29 male, indicating that women and children remain the most vulnerable groups.
Tripura recorded 233 trafficking victims, the second-highest in the region, while Arunachal Pradesh reported 66 victims. Meghalaya reported only one victim.
The NCRB data highlighted forced labour and sexual exploitation as the leading forms of trafficking in the region.
In Assam, 42 persons were trafficked for forced labour, 31 for sexual exploitation linked to prostitution, 37 for domestic servitude, and 18 for forced marriage. The state also reported four cases linked to begging and two related to organ removal. Arunachal Pradesh, on the other hand, reported that all identified trafficking victims were linked to sexual exploitation.
The report further showed that trafficking in several northeastern states disproportionately affected minors. In Assam, nearly 62 per cent of all identified victims were below 18 years of age.
The disposal data revealed weak conviction trends across the region. Assam arrested 208 persons in trafficking-related cases and chargesheeted 148, but only four persons were convicted during the year. Tripura arrested 106 persons but recorded no convictions, while Arunachal Pradesh arrested 52 persons with no convictions reported.
The nationality profile of rescued victims pointed to significant cross-border dimensions in some states. Tripura — which shares a long international border with Bangladesh — reported 232 Bangladeshi victims rescued in trafficking-related cases, the highest cross-border trafficking figure in the region.
The data further showed that Assam rescued 152 trafficking victims during the year, while Tripura rescued 812 persons and Arunachal Pradesh 38.
The NCRB figures come alongside recent academic and policy studies that describe the Northeast as a vulnerable trafficking corridor.
Research studies have described Northeast India as a “hotspot zone” where armed conflict, ethnic violence, displacement, underdevelopment and unemployment increase trafficking risks, particularly for women and children.
Other recent studies have linked trafficking in the region to migration pressures, climate-related displacement, fake job recruitment networks and weak economic opportunities. Researchers have also highlighted the risks emerging from cross-border movement along the Bangladesh and Myanmar frontiers.
Child trafficking remains a major concern flagged in recent research, with studies warning that trafficked children from the Northeast are often pushed into domestic labour, forced labour and sexual exploitation.
Nationally, Telangana recorded the highest number of trafficking cases at 423, followed by Maharashtra with 337. Odisha reported the highest number of trafficking victims at 1,039.
The NCRB figures suggest that while the Northeast does not account for a large share of India’s registered trafficking cases, the persistence of child trafficking, forced labour, sexual exploitation and cross-border trafficking continues to pose serious concerns for the region.
Also Read: How a new crab spider connects Manipur and China
You just read a story that took days to report. Help us keep our reporters on the ground in the Northeast.
Ad-free reading, support and keep important stories alive
Support once (any amount)
Scan to pay via UPI