Ghaziabad: 55 minors, including girls, rescued from meat processing unit; five arrested

An initial probe has suggested that the minors were trafficked and mostly paid ₹300 per day for cutting meat

Ghaziabad: The Ghaziabad police on Saturday arrested five officials, including a woman director, of a meat processing unit from where 55 minors, including 31 girls, were rescued during a surprise raid on May 29 (Wednesday), officers said.

The minors, mostly from West Bengal and Bihar, were allegedly found working at the Masuri area-located unit during the raid carried out by officials. (Sakib Ali/HT Photo)

The minors, mostly from West Bengal and Bihar, were allegedly found working at the Masuri area-located unit during the raid carried out by officials of the Ghaziabad police, district administration, and a National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) team, they added.

An initial probe has suggested that the minors were trafficked through some contractors, and thus a detailed investigation is being carried out in the case, police said.

Officers had said on Wednesday that the minors, who were found cutting meat during the raid, were mostly paid ₹300 per day.

A first information report (FIR) has been registered under provisions of the Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act against unnamed officials of the unit, police said.

“During investigation, we also added IPC section 370(5) (offence involving trafficking of more than one minor). In this connection, we arrested the two directors, including a woman, of the unit and three general managers on Saturday. They were produced before the court,” said deputy commissioner of police (rural) Vivek Chandra Yadav.

Police on Saturday identified the arrested officials as Yasin Qureshi, 75, and his wife, Tasleem Qureshi, 53, who are directors of the unit. The rest were identified as Arif Qureshi, 40, Hasan Ejaz, 57 and Sayyed Manzoor, 64.

“The IPC section for human trafficking was added as it came to light during investigation that the suspects allegedly, through some contractors, trafficked minors from Bihar, West Bengal and also from north-eastern states. A detailed investigation is underway in the case and police teams are trying to trace the contractors as well. They will also be arrested soon,” DCP Yadav added.

In a post on social media site X, Priyank Kanoongo, chairperson of NCPCR, said: “...57 minors (31 girls and 26 boys, including handicapped people) have been rescued; the operation is still on. All of them were being made to slaughter animals there. The number may change once other processes including verification of age of children are completed. Action has been taken on the complaint of Mission Mukti.”

Meanwhile, the minors following Thursday’s raid were taken to the child welfare committee and later to the assigned shelter homes after their medical examinations as per procedure, officials said.