One person goes missing every fourth day Wokha police claims

Additional SP, Wokha, K Soriso said that one person goes missing in Nagaland every fourth day.

According to an official report on July 31, Soriso made the disclosure while observing the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons at the Government Higher Secondary School Wokha Auditorium on Sunday.

The police officer said 87 cases of missing persons were registered in the state in the last three years, of which 83 percent were under the age of 18.
Soriso stressed the need to combat trafficking through awareness, institutional capacity building, training of law enforcement officers, prosecutors and judges, as well as strengthening relevant legislation and anti-trafficking measures.
During the day’s observation in Dimapur, Mojungala, Legal and Probationary Officer of District Protection Unit Dimapur, said that Nagaland has been identified as a major trafficking point in India.
He added that wealth disparity and lack of employment opportunities made the North-Eastern region vulnerable to human trafficking.
Highlighting the issues, challenges and services available related to trafficking, she said that 13 per cent of missing cases in Nagaland are due to trafficking. Between 2015 and 2021, 28 victims were rescued, of which 26 were women.
Moajungla said criminals are increasingly using on-site recruitment and social media to lure victims into industries such as hotels, parlors and spas with attractive salaries.
Once their mission is accomplished, criminals delete websites and accounts to erase all traces of their activities, she said.
Other factors contributing to human trafficking in the region include migration from villages to towns and cities in search of better opportunities, unemployment, poverty, lack of education, drug abuse, runaway and homeless children, the officer added. , mental health issues, prostitution, cheap labor and demand for sex, lack of human rights protection, conflicts, natural disasters and unsafe migration options.
“Victims of trafficking endure inhumane living conditions, poor food and hygiene, physical abuse and deprivation of basic rights to health care.
They are also vulnerable to organ trafficking and sex slavery,” she said.
Moajungla also highlighted common challenges in combating trafficking, including the reluctance of victims to report cases due to shame, stigma, fear, trauma and threats from high-profile criminals involved in trafficking or the mafia.