Hyderabad: 3,470 kids rescued, 80 per cent reunited with parents

Hyderabad: The women and child welfare department rescued 3,470 children throughout the state in July. Apparently, five children from Nepal were also rescued. More than 80 per cent of these children were handed over to their parents. Compared to last year, more children were rescued by officials this year.

The children rescued under Operation Muskaan Phase-V include 3,024 boys and 446 girls. Of these, 2,992 children were from Telangana state. Around 160 children, whose families could not be traced, were institutionalised.

According to officials, the main aim of the operation was to trace and rescue missing children involved in child labour, bonded labour, micro industries, begging and trafficking, and rescuing them by restoring them to their parents or other family members.

About the operation, K.R.S. Laxmi Devi, Joint Director (ICPS), women development and child welfare department, said, “We have rescued  children from railway platforms, bus stands, roads, religious places and many other public places. With the help of trained police personnel, 3,470 children were rescued this month alone.”

Ms Laxmi Devi said the main cause of the social evil of child labour was migration. Lack of job opportunities in their home state led to migration and children were made to work.  

She said, “All children rescued are below 18 years and most of them were handed over to their parents, while children from other states were repatriated. We have also uploaded particulars of the rescued children in the missing child portal of the ministry of women and child department to trace their parents.”