Imphal, October 10 2008: To check the rising cases of trafficking women and children duping them with lucrative offer of jobs outside the State, committees of illegal trafficking of women and children have been constituted at State and district levels, stated Chief Minister O Ibobi who is also in charge of Home Department in the Assembly session today.

MPP legislature wing leader O Joy condemned the act saying that allowing innocent girls of the State to be trafficked to other States was like selling off one's honour.

Responding to a call attention motion raised by O Joy on the attempt to carry away 14 unsuspecting Tangkhul girls, Chief Minister Ibobi informed the House that the 14 young girls were being taken to Chennai after luring them with jobs in a private company.

However, they were intercepted by Sekmai while checking a bus.

A woman named Apang Khamrang of Maichong village, Ukhrul who was taking the girls outside the State was also arrested.

Moreover, police have registered an FIR in this connection.

On spot verification by police, it was established that the young girls were being taken outside the State after deceiving them with jobs.

The particular private company based at Chennai has also been officially asked through Chennai SP whether they authorised anybody to recruit young girls into their firm, Ibobi said.

To check illegal trafficking of girls, committees under IGP at State level and Additional SP at district level have been constituted besides taking up extra measures at the airport.

Acting on the complaint that 3 girls from Tamenglong have been carried away by an NGO based at Singapore, police investigated the matter and pulled up one Philip Gangmei of Sibilong.

In connection with the same illegal trafficking case, three other persons have also been arrested, Ibobi informed the House while assuring that any one found involved in human trafficking case will be punished accordingly.

Raising the call attention motion, MLA O Joy wondered how would other nations look upon the Manipuri nation on hearing about these cases of trafficking young girls to sell them off outside the State just after the spate of child kidnapping cases.

Asking whether the State Government has taken up any action against these criminal acts of trafficking State girls to Chennai and Singapore, he sought due attention of the Government on the matter.