CWCs Telangana rescued 17 kids from traffickers
Preliminary inquiries indicate that the children were being taken to Old City to work in the bangle-making industry.
HYDERABAD: The Child Welfare Commission of Telangana rescued 17 minors who were being trafficked illegally from Patna. The rescue operation was conducted at Secunderabad Railway Station.
The children were being transported in the Danapur Express. They were dressed in formal wear and were given backpacks to carry so that they would pass off as young techies. The youngest of the lot was eight years old.
Varsha Bhargavi, the State Coordinator for the Elimination of Child Labour (SRC) said, “The Child Welfare Commission is conducting an investigation in coordination with the police and officials of the Labour Department. We are gathering case studies to find out how children end up in such circumstances. A lot of the children are still too scared to open up. We have collected their mobile phones and are trying to find out who they were interacting with.”
Preliminary inquiries indicate that the children were being taken to Old City to work in the bangle-making industry.
Ophthalmologist Dr Sudeepa Roy said, “Children are made to look into a fire as they join the pieces of glass bangles. It is strenuous work, and it is often carried out under hazardous conditions, in dingy rooms. The children are made to do intricate work, which affects their eyesight.”
Many children who work at bangle-making units end up suffering from lung problems because of the constant exposure to dust and soot from the dry glass mixture, as well as chemicals.
Officials of the Child Welfare Department intend to crack down on units in Old City to ensure that no child labourers are employed.