New Delhi: Sixteen child labourers were
rescued by authorities from plastic, steel and bakery
factories in central Delhi today, the fifth such operation in
last nine days.
A total of 161 such children have been rescued from
various parts of the capital in these raids.
Delhi State Task Force on Elimination of Child Labour,
police and Labour Department officials conducted the rescue
operation following a complaint from child rights NGO Bachpan
Bachao Andolan (BBA) in Shivji Pura and Mukherjee Market of
Karol Bagh. Five employers were also taken into custody during
the raid, BBA officials said.
All the children, falling in the age group of 9-14,
are victims of trafficking and were brought from Uttar
Pradesh, Bihar and Nepal after being lured with the promise of
education and better life.
Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Karol Bagh A K Pandey said,
"This is the second time we are conducting a raid in the same
area. We have arrested five employers or traffickers and would
ensure that they are booked under strictest penal provisions
so that it sets a precedent for others."
Four of the employers arrested from Mukherjee market
"are suspected to have employed children to make bags to be
used for census," the BBA alleged in a statement and added
that the case has to be further investigated.
Fifty-four child labourers were rescued from
button-making units in Govindpuri in south Delhi yesterday and
10 of their employers taken into custody.
On April 28, 72 child labourers were rescued from bag
manufacturing units in Nabi Kareem area of central Delhi and
eight of their employers held.
16 child labourers were rescued from a bakery unit in
Rohini on May 3, while three children were rescued by
authorities from an electric sockets manufacturing unit in
west Delhi on May 4.
-PTI
