Twenty-one boys were found at Palakkad Railway Station on January 11, raising fresh suspicions of human trafficking to Kerala. The children, aged between 10 and 16, had arrived by the Vivek Express from Bihar and were reportedly being taken to the Fatima Hifsul Quran Academy in Kozhikode.
The children were found carrying no documents other than Aadhaar cards. Following their interception, the Railway Police handed them over to the Child Welfare Committee, Palakkad, which is currently taking care of their food, shelter, and other basic amenities.
There is growing speculation of human trafficking behind the incident. The grown men who accompanied the children reportedly made contradictory statements. They claimed that the boys had been brought to Kerala for admission to the Fatima Hifsul Quran Academy.
They further stated that the academy is run by the Hayathul Islam Committee in Andikkodu, with Abdulla Mohammed as its chairman.
However, as there was no confirmation or verifiable documentation regarding the academy, the children were handed over to the Child Welfare Committee.
Sethumadhavan, a representative of the Child Welfare Committee, told the media that the accompanying men produced a letter from their Grama Pramukh, which does not carry any legal validity.
He said both men are illiterate and speak only their local Hindi dialect, requiring the Committee to use interpreters to understand their statements.
While children are entitled to education under the Right to Education Act, Sethumadhavan clarified that a Transfer Certificate is mandatory.
The officer stated that the children do not possess any documents related to their academic background. Aadhaar, he said, is not a valid document for educational purposes, and the Transfer Certificate from the last institution attended is essential.
The children are currently undergoing counselling. After this process, the Child Welfare Committee, Kozhikode may take over their custody, depending on further verification.
The incident has triggered concern among the public, with many recalling a similar episode in Palakkad in 2013, when 579 children, both boys and girls aged between 6 and 14, also from Bihar—were found in what was alleged to be a human trafficking case.
Questions are now being raised: if the children were genuinely brought to Kerala for further education, why were proper documents not produced? Officials say only a detailed police investigation can provide clear answers. Reports indicate that the Railway Police have initiated an investigation into the matter.
