Araria: Allegations of bias have emerged after 155 Muslim students and eight teachers were detained by the Government Railway Police in Madhya Pradesh’s Katni. Parents claim the children were targeted due to their religious identity and faced delays in release despite family intervention.
The children, aged six to 15, were travelling from Bihar to educational institutions in Maharashtra and Karnataka on April 11. Authorities intercepted them on suspicion of child labour. An FIR was filed the next day, and the accompanying adults were booked under provisions related to trafficking of minors.
The students were held in shelter homes in Jabalpur and Katni for nearly two weeks. They returned to Bihar’s Seemanchal region on April 25. Parents said the children experienced distress during their stay and demanded compensation along with clear procedures for handling such cases in the future.
At a press conference in Araria, families questioned the basis of the action. Some said the children were travelling under teacher supervision for religious education, a long-standing practice. They argued that authorities failed to verify facts before detaining minors.
Police officials defended the operation. They said the action followed intelligence inputs about possible trafficking. They also stated that many children lacked proper travel documents.
Legal representatives have challenged the FIR. Community leaders called for an impartial inquiry to determine accountability. They stressed the need for safeguards to prevent wrongful detention of students travelling for education.
