Operation Muskaan: Telangana Police rescues 172 children from child labour

Under the ‘Operation Muskaan-VII’ program, the Rachakonda Police Commissionerate, which comes under Telangana Police, saved 172 children from child labour. Out of the172 children, 59 boys and 29 girls belonged to the state, while other 44 boys and 40 girls belonged to other states as well as countries.

The police stated that they were already tracing missing children, identifying potential child labour and adolescents, indulged in the criminal offense of child labour during the operation. Between July 1, 2021, and July 17, 2021, a total number of eight teams were formed division-wise in the district to conduct the operation. Telangana police informed that it has registered 18 cases and arrested 37 accused persons under the relevant sections during the operation. The sections under which the cases have been registered are the Indian Penal Code(IPC), Juvenile Justice Act, Child Labour Act, and Bonded Labour Act.

The police said, "The owners of companies used to bring the labour including child labour from other states and exploited them, which is inhuman and contrary to the labour laws."

What is Operation Muskaan?

As per the direction of the MHA, the CID started ‘Operation Muskaan’ as the issue of missing children in Jharkhand represented one of the important challenges faced by the police department. The operation started in January 2015. With rising numbers over a period of time, it was felt that a comprehensive operation be launched to tackle this issue of policing in the state. The objectives of the ‘Operation Muskan’ were:

(1) Rescue and Rehabilitation of the missing children.

(2) Integrating the activities with Child protection activities in the state.

(3) Capacity building of district level SJPU to tackle the issue of missing children.

(4) Develop greater co-ordination of Social Welfare department functionaries, CWCs, SJPUs, NGOs and community organizations at district level as part of the Integrated Child Protection Scheme operational throughout the country.

Child labor case in Telangana in 2020

In June 2020, Telangana Police also rescued a five-year-old minor girl who was working as domestic help for a physically challenged woman who also physically abused her. The police acted on a complaint call and immediately raided the residence of the woman named Seema at Wahed Nagar area of Chaderghat Police Station limits. Polishetty Sateesh, Inspector, Chaderghat Police Station speaking to ANI over the phone said, "We received a complaint at around 3:30 PM, that a 5-year-old girl was being used as a child laborer and physically abused by a physically challenged lady named Seema." 

"We immediately raided her residence and rescued the child and handed her over to the Child welfare. A case has been registered and an investigation underway," the inspector said.

(With ANI Inputs)

(IMAGE: ANI)