Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Child Helpline officials rescued 13 minor children from the Jan Shatabdi Express during a coordinated operation on Tuesday.
The rescue followed a tip-off about suspicious movement of children on the train.
Bhadrak Child Helpline alerted railway authorities, prompting an immediate search across multiple coaches. The train had already departed Bhadrak station, so officials extended the operation en route to Jajpur. Teams checked each compartment thoroughly while the train was in motion.
After an intensive search, officials traced all 13 minors in different coaches. They rescued the children and brought them back to Bhadrak for protection, care, and inquiry. Sources indicated that the children belonged to minority communities and were being transported from Bihar under unclear circumstances.
Authorities launched a detailed investigation to determine the purpose of their travel, identify those responsible for their movement, and examine whether trafficking was involved. Officials assured that the rescued minors would remain under safe custody until further clarity emerged.
