14 child laborers working in dhabas and commercial units were freed in a coordinated raid by Naraina police led by the SDM, Delhi Cantt, on the information and support of ‘Bachpan Bachao Andolan’ founded by Nobel Peace Prize winner Kailash Satyarthi. A case has been registered at Narayana police station against these establishments employing child labourers.
In this action, the Child Development Section and the officers of the Labor Department, the associate organization of Bachpan Bachao Andolan, were also involved. These children were produced before the Child Welfare Committee from where they were sent to ‘Mukti Ashram’. The age of all these child laborers is between 12 to 17 years and they are residents of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand. After the raids, the SDM sealed nine dhabas and factories. A case has been registered against all of them under the provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act.
The condition of these freed child laborers was very pathetic. Out of these 14 child laborers, four had bad eyesight and one child laborer was missing one eye. Many child laborers had burn marks on their hands and other parts of the body. They were made to work day and night for a meager salary. Also, a child laborer who did not have one eye was being made to work for six months for free in the name of teaching him work.
A statement issued by the SDM office said that after first medical examination of all these children at Nangal Raya dispensary, they were produced before the Child Protection Committee from where they were sent to ‘Mukti Ashram’. The Labor Department has recorded the statements of these child labourers. Presently the police is taking further action by registering an FIR.
Manish Sharma, director of Bachpan Bachao Andolan, said that despite all the efforts, child trafficking and child labor could not be stopped in the society, “Despite the very strict laws made to get rid of child labor and exploitation, minors are not allowed to work. The trend and their exploitation continues which is a matter of concern.
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