Ashish Kumar at the age of 13 years was trafficked from Gaya by the local traffickers to engage in a bangle-making factory. Ashish was made to work for 16 long hours a day, with no weekend off, until he was rescued by Jaipur Police after months of working in the factory. An FIR was filed, the constant exposure to dust and unfavorable living conditions in a small room leading to an underlined breathing issue for Ashish. In concern to this, he had to undergo surgery to normalize his breathing. When Ashish was rescued and safely sent back home, the local traffickers continuously visited his home and began to mount pressure on his parents to send him back to the factory. Ashish’s parents vigorously condemned the proposal, but the traffickers tried to re- traffic Ashish once again. With the support of the local police and intervention of the Centre Direct Ashish was once more successfully rescued.

Ashish Kumar, appeared at the Jaipur Court to record the testimonies against the traffickers, followed by summoning, this instigated the alleged traffickers, they wanted vengeance and kidnapped Ashish’s mother. The traffickers planned to hold his mother hostage, she was being trafficked to Jaipur in a train. In the meantime, she was rescued by Rohtas Police from Dehri-On-Sone railway station roughly 110 km away from her nearest railway station to her home.

The alleged traffickers were arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment by the court of Jaipur in August 2019. This verdict was historical in the realm of conviction in the history of labour trafficking in the country. It is the highest punishment recorded to a child trafficker.

In the process of reintegration with his family, Ashish continued his education at school and successfully cleared his class 10th examination in 2021.

Brave Ashish, leads a survivor collective called “VIJETA” in Bihar, he provides leadership training to the victims of child trafficking survivors and encourages them to fight against the issue of re-trafficking and ways to prevent child trafficking in vulnerable communities. He guides the children to work with the people and the stakeholders in the community.

Ashish has been honored with the “First Runner up Plan India Impacts Awards 2021.”

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