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Karnataka police rescue 800 child labourers in statewide crackdown
Bengaluru accounted for 503 rescues, with police registering 18 cases against establishments employing children under labour and juvenile justice laws.
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Karnataka police rescued 800 child labourers during a statewide operation, with Bengaluru accounting for 503 of the children found working at commercial and industrial establishments, officials said on Sunday.
The operation covered 16,951 premises across 962 police station jurisdictions. Vijayapura recorded the next highest number of rescues at 72, followed by Tumakuru with 33, Koppal with 27, Kalaburagi with 22, Ballari with 15 and Mysuru with 13, according to an official statement.
CM’s market visit triggers wider statewide action
The statewide action came days after chief minister D K Shivakumar visited the Yeshwanthpur Agricultural Produce Market Committee yard and found children working there. He directed police and other officials to identify establishments employing children and take action against those responsible.
In Bengaluru, police inspected 5,897 premises across 188 police station limits. The inspections covered shops, factories, garages, construction sites, hotels, markets, restaurants, petrol stations, malls and other establishments where children could be employed. Police teams from all 11 city divisions, along with two Central Crime Branch teams, participated in the operation.
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Yeshwanthpur market operation rescues 29 children
The action at the Yeshwanthpur APMC market had begun separately after Shivakumar’s visit on September 8. Five teams comprising assistant commissioners of police, police inspectors and Labour Department officials inspected establishments in the market under the supervision of the deputy commissioner of police, North division.
That operation resulted in 29 children being rescued from the market, including 19 reportedly employed in shops. Four first information reports were registered against shop owners. The rescued children included minors from Bihar, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Karnataka.
Also read: Bihar govt rescues 122 child labourers, registers FIRs against 60 employers
18 cases registered in Bengaluru over child employment
The statewide operation resulted in 18 cases being registered in Bengaluru against establishments found employing children under the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act and the Juvenile Justice Act. Depending on the nature of employment, employers were either booked or issued notices.
“A majority of the children rescued are from hotels, restaurants, eateries, petrol pumps, grocery stores and warehouses. They had been employed because they can be paid far less than adults,” Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh said.
Police classified the employment detected during the operation as hazardous or non-hazardous. Where children were found working in hazardous occupations, first information reports were registered against employers. Employers found engaging children in non-hazardous work were issued notices, a senior officer involved in the operation said.
Also read: State has brought only 187 out-of-school kids back to school
Children from multiple states, Nepal rescued
The rescued children came from several states as well as Nepal. They have been handed over to Child Welfare Committees for rehabilitation, while in some cases children were returned to their parents.
Vijayapura police inspected 1,156 premises and rescued 72 children. Authorities recorded 25 instances of action in the district, including three first information reports. Tumakuru reported 33 rescues after inspections at 660 premises.
Also read: Child labourer, 13, loses four fingers in factory machine; firm officials booked
Koppal rescues 27 children from workplaces
Koppal police rescued 27 children after checking 95 premises under 14 police stations. Notices were issued against employers found engaging children.
Other districts also recorded rescues during the operation, while no children were found in several districts, including Mandya, Davangere, Hassan, Shivamogga, Uttara Kannada, Chikkamagaluru, Gadag and Raichur.
The operation was intended to identify establishments continuing to employ children and initiate legal action against employers. The involvement of Labour Department officials alongside police teams allowed inspections and enforcement action to be carried out together.
The rescued children have been placed under the care of Child Welfare Committees, which will oversee the rehabilitation process.
