displayed a total lack of sensitivity and concern for the children. It would not be inappropriate to add that the attitude again reflected the mindset of the force that the marginalised sections of the society (the children who suffered belonged to the downtrodden segment) are not worth of any action or protection by the force and that they are not obliged to perform their duties towards them. Police officers should provide special attention and protection to all children who are victims of crime. All children should be treated equally, regardless of their social standing, and with dignity. A poor child who has been abused should be treated in the same way as a child from a rich family.29 On the other hand, children who are suspected of criminal conduct should be treated with care as well, as there are likely to be societal and behavioural reasons for childhood criminal activity. Children who are treated by police as if they were already fully-grown hardened criminals are quite likely to become such criminals. Some of the common crimes against children punishable under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) are a) Foeticides (Crime against being born) Section 312, 314, 315 IPC, b) Infanticides (Crime against newborn child) Section 316 IPC, c) Exposure & Abandonment (Crime against children by parents or others to expose or to leave them with the intention of abandonment): Section 317 IPC, d) Kidnapping & Abduction, ) Kidnapping for exporting (Section 360 IPC), ii) Kidnapping from lawful guardianship (Section 361 IPC), iii) Kidnapping for ransom (Section 363 read with Section 384 IPC), iv) Kidnapping for camel racing etc. (Section 363 IPC), v) Kidnapping for begging (Section 363-A IPC), vi) Kidnapping to compel for marriage (Section 366 IPC), vii) Kidnapping for slavery etc. (Section 367 IPC), viii) Kidnapping for stealing from its person (under 10 years of age only) (Section 369 IPC), e) Procuration of minor girls (for inducement to force or seduce, to illicit intercourse): Section 366-A IPC, f) Selling of girls for prostitution (Section 372 IPC), i) Buying of girls for prostitution (Section 373 IPC),f) Rape, k) Unnatural Offences. A. Trafficking in Children Trafficking of children is a serious problem in India. The nature and scope of child trafficking range from industrial and domestic labour, to forced early marriages and commercial sexual exploitation. The rise in the 29 Commonwealth Human Rights Manual for Police Personnel, 2005 Manual on Human Rights for Police Officers 45