Itanagar, Sep 6: Arunachal Pradesh Police have rescued 38 people, including 34 children, from various locations and arrested four persons for their alleged involvement in a suspected human trafficking network. The children were rescued from Aalo, Mechuka, Pasighat, Naharlagun, Itanagar and Longding in Arunachal Pradesh, as well as from Assam, officials said on Sunday.

In a statement, Superintendent of Police Sangey Thinley said four alleged facilitators had been arrested so far, with the latest arrest being that of Rupali Padung. Her alleged role in the transportation and illegal placement of the victims is under legal scrutiny, he said.

The case, registered at Namsai Police Station last month, is being investigated by Namsai Deputy Superintendent of Police Kengo Dirchi under Thinley's supervision, in coordination with the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) and the District Child Protection Unit (DCPU), Namsai. Officials said the investigation was aimed at unearthing the wider trafficking network, tracking financial transactions, examining electronic evidence and identifying secondary links.

Parents, guardians and individuals with whom the victims were allegedly placed are also being examined, with further legal action to be taken based on the evidence gathered. The CWC and DCPU are providing the rescued children with care, protection, counselling and rehabilitation support, the SP said.

Thinley added that the identities of the minors were being strictly protected in accordance with the law as the investigation continued. The latest development follows a major rescue operation in August, when police rescued 19 children, most of them below the age of eight, from various parts of Arunachal Pradesh and arrested three women for their alleged roles as facilitators in the suspected trafficking network.

The three accused were identified as Gumnya Kochung, Marta Ete and Neha Gerory. The children were rescued from Mechuka in Shi-Yomi district, Aalo in West Siang, Pasighat in East Siang, Naharlagun, Itanagar and Longding, police had said.

At the time, police said the rescue of the 19 children was not the end of the operation, with teams continuing efforts to trace other victims and identify additional people allegedly involved in the network.