According to railway authorities, up to 163 juvenile boys were rescued from an express train in Madhya Pradesh's Katni district on Sunday after reportedly being transported from Bihar to Maharashtra to work as labourers.
The eight suspects arrested in the case have stated that the children, aged six to 13, were being taken to a madrasa in Latur for education.
Based on a tip from the Child Welfare Committee, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and the Government Railway Police (GRP) conducted an overnight joint operation at Katni railway station, apprehending eight people who were travelling with the boys without proper tickets and documents.

According to preliminary information, the youngsters were being transported from the Araria district of Bihar to Latur in Maharashtra, RPF Katni inspector Virendra Singh informed PTI.
The force received a tip concerning child trafficking and became suspicious when they discovered no legitimate travel documents, sparking a coordinated rescue operation that concluded around daybreak on Sunday, he added.
Singh stated that the GRP has filed a case under section 143(4) (trafficking of a minor under the age of eighteen) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against the eight accused, who are all from various districts of Bihar.
Initial investigations indicated that the youngsters were being taken to Latur to work as workers, he said, adding that the GRP is looking into the matter.When approached, Katni GRP station house officer (SHO) L P Kashyap told PTI that the recovered youngsters and the accused were from the Muslim community.
He stated that the children were in the express train's sleeping class, with approximately 50 in each cabin.During questioning, they (the accused) stated that the youngsters were taken to a madrasa in Latur for schooling. We have called some parents, who have also stated that they have sent their children to school," the GRP officer explained.
He added that the accused have already admitted to taking minors to madrasas.

"We are investigating the incident. "The accused, who have been charged with trafficking, will appear in court," he continued.
According to officials, the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) got information concerning a large number of youngsters being relocated in dubious circumstances.
Security personnel waited for the express train on platform 5 and searched coaches when it arrived, putting the children into safe custody, they said.
Manish Tiwari, Child Protection Officer, stated that officials acted quickly on the information and that the rescued youngsters were receiving counselling.
He stated that efforts have begun to contact their parents while officials verify their age, identity, and purpose of travel.
Some children have been sheltered in Katni, while others are in Jabalpur, under the care of child protection services.