Human trafficking racket busted in Jharkhand; 36 labourers, 6 minors rescued
Synopsis
A joint police and Labour Department raid on a hotel in Chakradharpur, Jharkhand, has exposed an organised trafficking ring that was allegedly preparing to ship 36 labourers and 6 minors to Gujarat. Two men from Morbi are in custody — but investigators say the local network runs deeper.
Key Takeaways
Police and the Labour Department busted a human trafficking racket in Chakradharpur, West Singhbhum on 18 May .
36 labourers and 6 minors (5 boys, 1 girl) were rescued from a hotel before they could be transported to Gujarat .
A bus meant to ferry the victims was seized; two accused — Nikunj Govind Borsania and Kadivar Nilesh of Morbi, Gujarat — have been arrested.
Cases registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and child labour laws ; both accused sent to jail.
The six rescued minors were handed to Childline Chaibasa on orders of the Child Welfare Committee .
Police are now probing local links and the wider trafficking network operating from Jharkhand.
Police in Chakradharpur, West Singhbhum district, Jharkhand, have dismantled a human trafficking racket, rescuing 36 labourers and six minor children on 18 May. A joint operation by the police and the Labour Department raided a hotel in Chakradharpur where the victims were allegedly being held before being transported to Gujarat.
How the Raid Unfolded
The operation was triggered by a tip-off indicating that a large group of male and female labourers and children were being kept at a local hotel, with preparations underway to move them to another state. Acting on the intelligence, the Senior Superintendent of Police ordered the formation of a special team comprising officials from the police, the Labour Department, the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), and Childline.
During the raid, authorities found the labourers and minors at the premises. A bus belonging to a travel company, reportedly intended to ferry the victims to Gujarat, was also seized at the scene.
The Rescued Victims
Among the six minors rescued were five boys and one girl. Following directions from the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), all six children were handed over to Childline Chaibasa. The 36 adult labourers are currently being questioned by investigators.
Arrests and Charges
Police arrested two individuals from Morbi, Gujarat, identified as Nikunj Govind Borsania and Kadivar Nilesh. Both are accused of luring labourers and children with false promises and attempting to transport them out of the state. A case has been registered against them under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and applicable child labour laws. Both accused have been remanded to judicial custody.
Wider Investigation Underway
Authorities are now probing the local links and the broader trafficking network to dismantle what investigators describe as an organised chain operating out of Jharkhand. This comes amid growing concern over labour trafficking from tribal-dominated districts of the state, where poverty and limited livelihood options make communities particularly vulnerable to exploitation. Notably, Jharkhand has consistently figured among the states with the highest outflow of trafficked persons, according to official data.
The investigation is expected to widen as police trace the forward network allegedly connecting Chakradharpur to destination states.
Point of View
Vulnerable labour to industrial Gujarat. The arrest of two men from Morbi — a hub for ceramics and manufacturing — points to demand-side recruitment, not just opportunistic trafficking. What the investigation must now answer is whether local touts, hotel operators, and transport contractors are complicit, and whether the victims were deceived with false wage promises or coerced outright. Jharkhand's anti-trafficking infrastructure — Childline, DLSA, CWC — responded well here, but the frequency of such rescues suggests the pipeline is structural, not incidental. Dismantling it requires inter-state coordination with Gujarat authorities, not just local arrests.
NationPress
22 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Where and when was the human trafficking racket busted in Jharkhand?
The racket was busted on 18 May in Chakradharpur, West Singhbhum district, Jharkhand. Police and the Labour Department raided a hotel where labourers and minors were allegedly being held before being transported to Gujarat.
Who were the two people arrested in connection with the trafficking case?
The two arrested are Nikunj Govind Borsania and Kadivar Nilesh, both from Morbi in Gujarat. They are accused of luring labourers and children and attempting to move them to another state; both have been sent to judicial custody.
What happened to the rescued minors?
All six rescued minors — five boys and one girl — were handed over to Childline Chaibasa following directions from the Child Welfare Committee (CWC). The 36 adult labourers are being questioned by investigators.
Under which laws have the accused been charged?
A case has been registered against the accused under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and applicable child labour laws. Both accused have been remanded to jail pending further investigation.
What is the current status of the investigation?
Police, along with the Labour Department, are investigating local links and the broader trafficking network to dismantle the organised chain operating from Jharkhand. Authorities are expected to widen the probe to trace the full forward network connecting Chakradharpur to destination states.
