Two-Year-Old Vanishes From Grounded Flight, Sparking Human Trafficking Fears in India

Amidst the ongoing investigation into the "donkey flight" grounded in France on suspicion of human trafficking, a chilling detail has emerged: a two-year-old boy from Gujarat, listed as an unaccompanied minor, is now missing. Gujarat police have launched a desperate search for the child, fearing he may have been separated from his parents or guardians as part of a larger smuggling operation.

The flight, carrying 303 passengers, including 96 from Gujarat, was intercepted by French authorities on December 21st due to concerns about potential human trafficking. While 276 passengers, including 72 from Gujarat, eventually landed in Mumbai after a court order, the two-year-old remains unaccounted for.

A Gujarat police CID officer said, We have been trying to locate the child and his parents or guardians as many families have left their homes in north Gujarat, TOI reported.

This incident has ignited fears that the child may have been used as part of a sophisticated human smuggling scheme targeting US asylum. Sources familiar with illegal emigration networks in Gujarat reveal that agents often create fake families, with unrelated adults posing as parents and carrying someone else's child. This tactic increases the chances of obtaining asylum in the US, as authorities prioritize families with children.

The investigation considers various scenarios, including the possibility that the child's parents were moved first or that he was sent ahead to secure citizenship before his family follows suit. The presence of two other unaccompanied minors on the flight, a ten-year-old and two 17-year-old boys, further strengthens these suspicions.

Adding to the urgency, data from US Customs and Border Protection paint a grim picture. Between 2020 and 2023, a staggering 730 unaccompanied Indian children were found abandoned on US borders, a 233% increase from 2020. Most of these children are between 10 and 14 years old, but some as young as four have been encountered. October 2023 alone saw 78 children discovered, highlighting the alarming prevalence of this practice.

The disappearance of the two-year-old boy from the "donkey flight" serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of human trafficking. As the investigation continues, the fate of this child and the potential involvement of larger smuggling networks remain shrouded in uncertainty.