Telangana Rescues 6,307 Children in Operation Muskaan

As many as 2,860 were rescued from 15 States like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal and Jharkhand. Forty children were rescued from Nepal.

A total of 124 Sub-Divisional Police Teams comprising 620 Police personnel were deployed in convergence with the Women Development & Child Welfare Department, Labour, Health, CWCs, DCPUs and NGOs.

A State-level convergence meeting was held on June 30, followed by training on SOPs and legal provisions, including the JJ Act 2015, Child Labour Act and Bonded Labour Act. Vulnerable areas such as railway/bus stations, religious sites, brick kilns, mechanic shops, construction sites and tea stalls were mapped.

The rescued children include 5,041 child labourers, one bonded labourer, 647 street children, 43 begging children, one orphan, 11 run-away children and 563 others (Dropout, child marriage, Illegal adoption).

The DG said 1,705 FIRs were registered and 1710 accused were arrested. A total of 1989 children were rescued in these cases.

On rehabilitation, she said 5,737 children were reunited with families, and 570 were admitted to child care Institutions. 

The Labour Department imposed Rs 37,95,356 fine under the Minimum Wages Act.

During the operation, children were rescued from various establishments and workplaces, including street vending activities, hotels and dhabas, building and construction sites, grocery and kirana shops, automobile and transport sectors, retail shops and offices, meat and chicken shops, brick kilns and roof tile units, welding workshops, bakeries, footwear shops, and electrical and electronics shops. 

The operation also covered children identified as school dropouts and those found engaged in various forms of child labour across these sectors.

Operation Muskaan XII reinforced Telangana Police’s commitment to get rid of child trafficking and bonded labour with the coordination of stakeholders, Shikha Goel said.