Big business: Bengal leads in the sale of women, minors

According to data published by the NCRB this year, West Bengal ranks high when it comes to trafficking of women. Figures reveal that in 2005 the state ranked second after Bihar in the importation of girls, registering 61 cases, which, at the national level, translates into 40.9 per cent of the total number of such cases.

While the Government of West Bengal has allocated an amount of Rs 1 crore to combat this and created a special cell within the state CID, the statistics tell a different story. In 2006, 231 cases were reported as compared to 145 such cases in 2005, showing a 59.3 per cent increase. Of these, West Bengal has reported 77, hogging a highly disturbing share of 33.3 per cent.

What is even more alarming is that of the 123 cases of “selling of girls for prostitution” reported during 2006, West Bengal constituted a whopping 114 or 92.7 per cent. That it is a trend on the rise is evidenced by the fact that only 50 such cases were registered nationwide the previous year - an increase of 146 per cent.

Raj Kanojia, Inspector General (Law and Order), agrees that the situation is serious, but points out that the existing social system and the geography of the state are also to be blamed.

“We are exposed to international borders, which also contributes to the situation. We have a problem, and we’re facing it. The government has accorded a high priority to this and we’re in touch with our counterparts in similarly-affected states like Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh for coordination in tracking victims and for joint training as well,” says Kanojia.