Anti-Human Trafficking Unit to be set up in Visakhapatnam

Vizag will soon have an Anti-Human Trafficking Unit for the protection of women, investigate cases of all crime and human trafficking on women and children. On Tuesday, a GO was passed by Principal Secretary to Ministry of Home Affairs, New Delhi, advising the Chief Secretaries of all State Governments to formulate 13 Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTU) in Andhra Pradesh, including one at Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam, respectively.

According to the GO, these units will be set up in a certain few affected districts to prevent and combat trafficking, consisting of a group of sensitively trained officials of the Police Department, with the assistance of members from the Women and Child Welfare Department of Andhra Pradesh and also members of reputed local NGOs. The anti-human trafficking unit will have one Inspector, two Sub-Inspectors, two Head Constables and two Constables. Director-General of Police (DGP), Andhra Pradesh has requested the Government to sanction an amount of Rs 37,90,000 as additional funds for the establishment of the Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs).

Anti-Human Trafficking Unit in Visakhapatnam will exist physically as a station and shall be housed at Disha Police Stations. AHTU would be notified by the State Government as a Police Station for registration and investigation of all cases relating to the crime of human trafficking which would be in addition to the other police stations in the district.

For the new team to be set up for AHTU, Inspectors and Sub-Inspectors will be assigned from the vacancy reserve strength sanctioned to the district. The Head constables and Constables shall be appointed by the District Nodal Officer. Also, the Superintendent of Police will review the progress of the work turned out by the unit on a monthly basis and submit a report to the State Anti Human Trafficking (AHT) Nodal Offices.