Ghaziabad: At least 107 children have been rescued from bonded labour in the city this year, said the police. According to the police, most of these children were rescued from commercial units, car mechanic garages, eateries and restaurants. Last year, 102 children were rescued in the city, as per police officials. The age of the children rescued ranges from 7 years to 16 years.

However, the police are concerned that many children were rescued from human traffickers. At least 20 have been arrested for trafficking. Most of the cases are registered at Loni Police Station. Providing data of the chikdren rescued as per months, the Ghaziabad Police stated that from January and February there were six children that were rescued. The number increased to 17 in May and June, 32 in July and August, 32 in September and October and 20 in November and December. "The process of identifying the families of rescued are still on", said a police official.

"Along with the help of agencies, we have been able to rescue more than 100 children this year. Worryingly, there are large number of cases where human trafficking is involved and thereby we have registered the cases and further probing the matter. The children rescued have been kept at Child Welfare Centres. They will be kept here till the time the family of children rescued are not traced," said a senior police official from Ghaziabad Police.