Bengaluru: 27 children working as bonded labourers in plastic unit rescued

BENGALURU: Around 27 minor children, including a girl, working as bonded labourers were rescued from a plastic recycling unit situated in Kumalagodu on Tuesday evening in a joint effort by members of the city based Child helpline and anti human trafficking cell of the state police.

The children, mostly of the age group of 10 to 11 years, were from Odisha and Bihar and forced to wash plastic covers in the Vrushabhavati storm water drain passing through the unit. The children were forced to work for more than 10 hours and found to be living on the unit premises in unhygienic condition, said the member of BOSCO Child helpline.

Based on the information, a team of volunteers with the anti human trafficking cell officials raided the unit and rescued the children. During the raid, four boys who were part of the group managed to escape. The children have been given medical treatment and taken to the government home for boys.

A criminal case has been filed against the plastic unit owner with the jurisdictional police in this regard. During the investigation it was found that there was a big racket. They bring small children from poor families from states such as Bihar, Odisha and Jharkahnd. They force them to work in the unit and pay a meagre amount to their parents as advance. The rescued children would be produced before the Child Welfare Committee on Wednesday.