Patna, June 3: The arrest of anti-trafficking activist and Apne Aap Women Worldwide (AAWW) member, Mohamm-ed Kalam, from Forbesganj in Araria district last week, has triggered a controversy.
While the non-governmental organisation (NGO) termed the arrest as “illegal”, Araria police claimed that Kalam was arrested on the judicial magistrate’s directive.
AAWW founder president Ruchira Gupta expressed dismay over Kalam’s arrest. Gupta alleged that Kalam was nabbed without proper investigation. She wrote letters to the Union home minister, Bihar chief minister and the Chief Justice of India, demanding Kalam’s immediate release. “All the charges again-st Kalam should be dropped and action initiated against the police officials who arrested him without proper investigation,” she said.
Gupta added: “We believe that Kalam is being penalised because he is a fiery activist against trafficking besides being from a minority community. His arrest has exposed the collusion between the police and traffickers. There is an urgent need for police reforms.”
Gupta said Kalam has been instrumental in putting traffickers in jail, rescuing girls from the brothels of Rampur and Khawaspur in Araria and Katihar districts. He is a project officer with Apne Aap and holds an LLB degree. He was named ‘Activist of the Year’ by The Week magazine and has been nominated for the US International Visitors Programme. His life story will be released in a Norwegian book, Town of Love, on Monday.
Gupta said AAWW is a grassroots organisation working to empower girls and women to resist and end trafficking. Since 2002, AAWW has formed 150 self-empowerment groups in brothels, red-light districts, slums and villages in Bihar, Bengal, Delhi and Maharashtra.
On the other hand, Araria superintendent of police Shivdeep Lande said Kalam was arrested on the order of first class judicial magistrate P.K. Ratan. A girl, in her statement recorded under Section 164 of CrPC, had accused Kalam of physically exploiting her.
The complainant was amo-ng the 25 girls rescued by the police on the initiative of Chi-ld Welfare Committee headed by Rita Ghosh. “We have stro-ng evidence against Kal-am. Four-five other girls have also levelled similar allagations against Kalam,” Lande said.
He said Gupta even threatened Forbesganj sub-divisional police officer Vikas Kumar of dire consequences if Kalam was not released. “A station diary has been registered in this connection,” the SP said.
