Gujarat Police Get RRU Human Trafficking Training in Gandhinagar
RRU training workshop puts Gujarat police focus on trafficking linked to online scams
Forty-one Police Inspectors from Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs) across Gujarat spent three days at Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU) examining how trafficking cases are changing, how investigators can use digital evidence and forensic methods, and how police can work with other agencies to protect victims.
The training workshop was held from August 20 to 22 at RRU and was organised by the National Resource Centre for Anti-Human Trafficking (NRCHT) under the university’s School of Criminal Law and Military Law. It was linked to the United Nations World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, observed each year on July 30.
This year’s UN campaign focuses on people who are forced into online scam operations after being recruited through false job offers. The United Nations says victims can be taken to scam compounds, held under threats or violence and forced to carry out online fraud. The problem connects human trafficking with cybercrime, financial fraud and organised crime.
That issue gives added relevance to police training in Gujarat, where investigators are dealing with trafficking cases that can involve several districts, states and countries.
Data cited in the material placed before Parliament show that 65 people were arrested in Gujarat in human trafficking cases in 2024, compared with 48 in 2023. The figures point to the continuing need for trained investigators, although arrest figures alone do not show the full scale of trafficking or the outcome of individual cases.
Earlier Ministry of Home Affairs data also recorded 49 arrests in Gujarat in 2021 and 54 in 2022. The same government data showed 54 charge-sheets in Gujarat in 2022.
Human trafficking cases can involve forced labour, sexual exploitation, child trafficking and other forms of exploitation. The Ministry of Home Affairs has an Anti Trafficking Cell that works on the law-enforcement response and provides guidance to states and Union territories. The ministry also works with other government departments because trafficking cases can involve policing, welfare, migration, labour and other areas.
At RRU, the three-day programme dealt with the investigation of trafficking cases from several angles. Officers were introduced to transnational organised crime in relation to human trafficking and discussed investigation methods and field practices.
One part of the training dealt with cooperation between police and organisations outside the police system. Sessions included the role of NGOs, Social Welfare Departments, health professionals, prosecutors and other agencies. Such coordination can matter when a case involves a victim who needs medical care, legal assistance, protection or rehabilitation while the police investigation is under way.
The officers also studied the police investigation process in anti-human trafficking cases. Other sessions covered forensic investigation, the role of police in countering child trafficking and problems faced by investigators during cases.
Technology was a recurring subject during the workshop. Participating officers visited RRU’s Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) Laboratory, where they were given a live demonstration of technology-based methods that can support police investigations.
The use of online platforms has become an important part of the trafficking problem. The UN says traffickers use internet platforms, social media, online marketplaces and websites to recruit victims and find people who can be exploited. The 2026 UN campaign has placed particular attention on trafficking victims forced to take part in online scams.
For investigators, that can mean looking beyond physical locations and traditional evidence. Digital communications, online advertisements, financial transactions and other electronic records may form part of an investigation, depending on the facts of a case and the evidence available to police.
The workshop opened with an inaugural session attended by senior RRU officials, experts and police officers.
Shri Aditya Purohit, National Security Staff Officer to the Vice Chancellor at RRU, spoke about the university’s work in national security education and professional training. He said police agencies need to use technology, data and specialised knowledge as criminal methods change. RRU’s official records identify Purohit as the National Security Staff Officer to the Vice Chancellor.
Shri Sunil Kavishwar, Director of the School of Criminal Law and Military Law, spoke about the changing nature of human trafficking and the need for specialised preparation for officers handling such investigations. He described the workshop as a “tactical laboratory” and said the programme was designed to give officers practical understanding along with classroom learning. His address covered digital evidence, forensic investigation, financial investigation and cooperation between agencies.
Prof. Dr. Kalpesh H. Wandra, Pro Vice Chancellor of RRU, spoke about the need for regular training and hands-on learning for police personnel. He also referred to the growing role of technology in crime investigations.
The Guest of Honour, Shri Atul Kulkarni, IPS (Retd.), a former senior official of the National Investigation Agency, joined the programme through video conference. He discussed investigation and the work of law-enforcement agencies in cases involving organised crime and human trafficking.
RRU has had a continuing role in professional training linked to crime and security. Its published material lists a National Resource Centre on Anti-Human Trafficking among its specialised centres, while an earlier annual report records a one-week certificate programme on anti-human trafficking.
The university also has research work linked to trafficking. Its current research listings include a doctoral study on community-based policing for combating human trafficking in Rajasthan, showing that the subject is being examined through academic as well as police-training work.
The wider international picture also explains why investigators are being asked to understand technology and organised crime together. The UN says 74 per cent of traffickers identified in its 2022 data operated within organised crime groups. Its 2024 Global Report on Trafficking in Persons examined trafficking patterns and government responses across 156 countries, using cases detected between 2019 and 2023.
For the Gujarat officers who attended the RRU workshop, the training also provided time to compare experiences from different districts. Discussions dealt with difficulties in identifying victims, investigating cases and preventing further exploitation.
The final focus was practical: improving the ability of officers to identify trafficking, collect evidence, follow financial and digital leads, protect victims and work with agencies outside the police force.
With trafficking methods changing alongside technology, the effectiveness of such training will depend on how well the lessons can be applied when officers return to their districts. The three-day programme at RRU was aimed at preparing them for that task.
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