IIOJK records 60 victims of human trafficking in 2024 amid rising exploitation, NCRB report says

ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th May, 2026) In 2024, Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) recorded 60 victims of human trafficking, highlighting a concerning rise in exploitation cases, with forced labour identified as the leading factor behind trafficking in persons.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the National Crime Records Bureau’s (NCRB) latest report, Crime in India 2024, revealed a disturbing rise in human trafficking cases in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, with forced labour emerging as the predominant form of exploitation.

The report further identified coerced marriages, sexual exploitation for prostitution and domestic servitude among the major drivers behind trafficking in the region.

The report disclosed that, out of the total 60 victims identified during 2024, as many as 36 persons were trafficked for forced labour, 12 for forced marriages, 8 for sexual exploitation linked to prostitution and 2 for domestic servitude, exposing the alarming scale of human exploitation prevailing in the territory.

According to the NCRB data, the victims included 8 girls below the age of 18, 36 adult males and 16 adult females, reflecting the vulnerability of both women and economically disadvantaged groups to trafficking networks operating in the region.

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The report further stated that, among the 58 rescued victims, 8 were minor girls, 36 were adult males and 14 were adult females, highlighting the continuing challenge faced by authorities in combating trafficking and ensuring protection for vulnerable populations.

The NCRB report also documented a steady increase in human trafficking-related offenses in occupied Jammu and Kashmir over the past three years. A total of 17 cases were registered in 2024, compared to 10 cases in 2023 and 8 cases in 2022, indicating a persistent upward trend in such crimes across the region.

The report added that investigating agencies filed charge-sheets in 13 cases and submitted final reports in 3 others, bringing the overall charge-sheeting rate to 81.3 percent, while concerns continue to mount over the growing incidence of trafficking and exploitation in the occupied territory.