According to a statement issued by the MP, seven children from Udaipur district were allegedly being taken to Tamil Nadu when they were intercepted in Goa. The children, comprising five boys and two girls, were later rescued and brought back to Udaipur. Arrangements for their care were made through the Child Welfare Committee.
MP Alleges Organised Network
In his letter, Rawat alleged that certain Christian missionary groups and an organised ecosystem are operating a systematic network that takes children and vulnerable individuals outside Rajasthan under the pretext of education and assistance.
He stated that similar concerns had surfaced in several areas of the Udaipur division, including parts of Udaipur, Dungarpur and Banswara districts. According to the MP, more than 15 such cases have come to notice in recent years.
Rawat further alleged that the methods used by these groups have changed and that children are now being taken to institutions outside Rajasthan. He claimed that some children from Udaipur had already been sent to Tamil Nadu and that the operation appeared to be planned and organised.
Children Rescued from Goa
According to the MP, the seven children, aged between 7 and 12 years and belonging to villages in Jhadol tehsil, travelled by bus from Udaipur to Ahmedabad and then by train to Goa. Their presence reportedly attracted attention, following which information was passed to the Railway Police and subsequently to the Child Welfare Committee in Goa.
Rawat said the Goa Child Welfare Committee informed Udaipur Child Welfare Committee Chairperson Yashoda Paniya, after which a team accompanied by police personnel was sent to Goa. The children were brought back to Udaipur on Saturday.
He stated that further interaction with the children, their families and villagers would be carried out and that, after detailed verification by the Child Welfare Committee and police, the children would be handed over to their parents.
Demand for Multi-Agency Investigation
Rawat has urged the Union Home Minister and the Chief Minister to order immediate action, constitute an SIT and have the matter investigated by central agencies, including the NIA, CBI and IB.
He alleged that the case may involve inter-state and international links and called for a detailed investigation into the individuals and organisations allegedly involved.
VHP Team Also Visited
A team from Vishva Hindu Parishad also visited the Child Welfare Committee after receiving information about children being taken outside Rajasthan in the name of education. According to the statement, VHP state minister Sundarji Kataria and other members gathered information about the incident and shared details with senior officials.