Missing 9-year-old Dimapur girl rescued from Arunachal Pradesh

DIMAPUR — A 9-year-old girl from Dimapur, who went missing on July 3, was rescued from Naharlagun, Arunachal Pradesh, on August 22.

A total of five accused, including one woman and four men, were arrested in connection with the case from Diphu, Jorhat, and Tezpur in Assam. The rescued minor has been placed under the care of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) home, Dimapur.

According to a press release issued by Dimapur Police, the father of the victim lodged an FIR on the same day of her disappearance. Accordingly, a case was registered at the Women Police Station, Dimapur, under relevant provisions of law and endorsed to an officer for investigation.

To support the operation, WT messages were circulated across the northeast, and vital information was gathered through local sources.

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Information was received from the complainant that the suspects were arrested at Diphu Police Station. On receiving the information, the Diphu Police Station was contacted, and personnel from Dimapur Women Police Station proceeded to Diphu and took custody of the arrested suspects for further legal proceedings.

The investigation was carried out undercover to avoid tipping off the accused and to ensure the child's safety. It was confirmed that the two individuals apprehended in Diphu — Nitu Nath (31), son of the late Khasiram Nath, and Protima Rajbongshi (30) — are husband and wife. It was also noted that the complainant was personally acquainted with the accused.

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During the investigation, the arrested couple revealed that the child was abducted at the request of a co-accused. They also admitted to having sold the child in Arunachal Pradesh for INR 80,000. Based on their statements, police identified two more suspects from Jorhat — Basu Dep Tanti (38), son of the late Dipon Tanti, and Subhan Ali (52), son of the late Mohammad Ali.

Acting on the leads provided, the police team proceeded to Biswanath Chariali, Tezpur, in Assam, where they apprehended another co-accused, Milan Da Teta (38), son of the late Elia Da Teta. During questioning, Milan disclosed the whereabouts of the child, leading to her rescue.

According to the victim’s statement, the child was deceived and forcibly taken away under false assurances. The minor was also reported to have been physically assaulted by the couple and was instructed to tell others that she belonged to the Adivasi community. However, the child mentioned that she was treated well during her time in Arunachal Pradesh.

It was maintained that the investigation is still underway to determine whether the accused are linked to a larger human trafficking network.