There is a much bigger and sinister underworld racket when it comes to human trafficking and its tentacles are spread worldwide. The truth is Nagaland is only now becoming aware of this social menace through reports and articles that appear sporadically in local dailies. But the truth of the problem lies in the fact that many more cases go unreported or unregistered. However, an insight into the registered cases from 2010 to 2014 reveals that there have been 46 arrests and 184 victims that have been rescued. There are several reasons for trade in human beings especially when it comes to women and children. Causes of human trafficking may vary from country to country or from state to state. However, when we analyze the various reasons, it more often than not boils down to two main factors i.e., the push factor and the pull factor.  As such the present paper is an attempt to explain the major causes of human trafficking in the state of Nagaland.

KEYWORDS: Human trafficking, causes, poverty, lack of awareness, and globalization