Hyderabad: The labour department on Thursday received around 100 children after they were recovered by the Hyderabad police from bangle factories functional in Hyderabad city.
Officials told Deccan Chronicle that they received around 250 children in three phases and expected several more to reach Patna by late night on Friday.
The children were being taken to their homes under the guidance of the officials of the labour department.
“The children who were received were counselled and given proper medical aid before they were transported back to their parents under strict monitoring of the officials. We are sending them back in phases as they belong to various districts of the state”, Ravi Shankar, Deputy Superintendent of Bal Grih Apna Ghar, where the children were kept.
He further informed the labour department received children who belonged to Gaya, Nawada, Jehanabad, Nalanda, Bhagalpur, Jamui, Godda and a kid belonging to another state Jharkhand.
The state government plans to take strict action against such persons who were involved in such kind crime.
“We are trying to gather information about the brokers who have been active in the state and were responsible for taking these kids to Hyderabad, we will soon lodge an FIR against them as this is an issue of child trafficking we will ensure that they were booked under the prescribed act”, Labour Commissioner Syed Parvez Alam said in Patna on Friday.
According to officials of the labour department the relatives of these kids were also found to be involved with such traffickers and action against them will also be taken if this information were found correct.
The children who were rescued and brought to Patna said that they were made to work for longer hours in precarious conditions. They were sent to Hyderabad by the brokers after they lured their families who were financially weak.
“I was taken to Hyderabad a year back where I was made to work in the bangle industry. They used to pay me Rs. 2500 per month and used to give very little food. There was no other option left for my mother to hand me over to a man named Firoz who had promised her good money every month. We are very poor and I am the only person responsible for my family as my father can’t work anymore”, 10-year-old Imran who was waiting to be sent back to his home-town said.
The other 12-year-kid who was rescued by the Hyderabad police said “I too want to study so that I can get a nice job and marry my little sister to a nice man with nice job”.
The officials when asked about their rehabilitation said that the families of these children will receive all the benefits including pucca houses under the Indira Awas Yojna and free education.
