Three minors working in Govandi factory rescued, owner arrested

Three minors rescued from a garment factory in Mumbai by the labour commissioner's office and NGO Pratham. The factory owner has been arrested for violation of the Juvenile Justice Act.

MUMBAI: Three minors working in a factory were rescued by the labour commissioner’s office in Govandi on Tuesday. The factory owner has been arrested for the alleged violation of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act.

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On the mezzanine floor of the garment manufacturing unit, three minors — aged 17, 15 and 14 — were found working in a dingy room. Officials from the labour commissioner’s office, along with the members of NGO Pratham and Shivaji Nagar police, conducted a raid on the premises of the factory.

The three minors have been sent to a children’s home, and the child welfare committee will be helping them as well, said Arjun Rajane, senior inspector of Shivaji Nagar police station.

“We have arrested the factory owner, Salim Jabbar Khan, under relevant sections of Juvenile Justice Act,” he said.

An official from the labour commissioner’s office said, “The 17-year-old had run away from his home in Bihar and was working at the unit to send money back home.”

“One of the younger children was helping his father who was also working in the factory. We found that none of the three children attended school, but they did go to a nearby madrasa after work,” said the official.

She added that the room where the children were working and living in was small and congested and did not look like a safe environment for the children.

In all the cases, the families were aware that their children had been working and the conditions in which they lived, said the officer.

“The families as well the kids will be provided psychological support and counselling to explain the importance of putting them through school,” added the officer.