Hyderabad: Pallabi Ghosh, a social activist, rescued hundreds of women and children from child marriage, prostitution, child labour and forced marriage. She aimed at creating awareness about trafficking of all forms. She said, "I faced many threats as I have been opposing illegal trafficking. However, I did not back down from my path." This is the inspiring story of Pallabi Ghosh, who saved 10,000 people, while working against the trafficking of girls
"I used to stay in West Bengal for my studies. While doing my graduation, someone asked me to help him find his daughter. His complaint to the police station about the whereabouts of his missing daughter was not taken up. Even I could not convince the police. The father, who wandered around the police station for a few days, was not seen later. The girl's information is still unknown. Every time I remember that father, my heart melts," Pallabi explained the reason behind her work of rescuing girls, saying, ''We want to reunite the girls with their families, who went missing.''
After completing my BA at Delhi University and Masters's in Chennai, "I wanted to work with an NGO called Shaktivahini. The reason is that there is more abduction of girls in the villages of Haryana. No one cares, including the police. There have been many incidents of abduction of newborns, months old, or teenagers. As Shakti Vahini activists, we used to give the numbers to everyone in awareness programmes."
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Narrating one incident, she said, "I received a call from a girl stating she was in danger. At first, I assumed that it was a fake call. I got a call again and judging by the tone of the voice, I knew it was something serious. After informing at the police station, took someone from the NGO and went to the address given by the girl with the help of the police. They did not let us enter until the lawyer arrived. I saw that girl, hunched, naked, bruised body, face deformed with cuts, withered by torture. We were able to rescue her and took her to the nearest hospital. There are many such incidents,'' says Pallabi.
Pallabi said, "Because of my work, I received many threats. She thinks that it is not enough to protect the victims of trafficking, but we should provide them with employment. Hence, in 2020 I established 'Impact and Dialogue Foundation." In some families, parents used to sell girls. In that case, what is the protection if they are returned to the same family? That is why the social welfare departments and panchayat leaders together stated the need to create awareness among the people about illegal trafficking.
"As part of this, students, tea garden workers, tribals, police officers and managers of transport companies have been creating awareness among people. Apart from this, they are organising awareness programmes on cleanliness, school dropouts, dowry, domestic violence, child marriages and sexual abuse of children. Everyone calls me 'Kahaniwali Didi' as I narrate my incidents as stories. So far 10,000 children have been saved," she said.
