29 child labourers rescued from Delhi

By IANS,

New Delhi : Twentynine child labourers, forced to work in inhuman conditions for around 15 hours daily, were rescued by a team of Delhi Police along with labour department officials Friday, a statement said.

Acting on a complaint by NGO Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA), the operation was conducted at a shoe factory in Nangloi, west Delhi.

Most of the children rescued were trafficked from Bihar's Chhapra, Darbhanga, Samastipur and Madhubani districts, apart from West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh as well as Nepal, said BBA in a statement.

According to one of the rescued Nepali boys, the group was brought here by an "uncle" who promised their parents that he would educate and get them employed.

"But since we arrived, we are only working and not studying," he added.

According to the victims, it has been more than three months since they left home. "All rescued were below the age of 14 and were forced to work for 14-15 hours a day. Their movements were also restricted by their employers," said a BBA official.

They were compelled to eat, sleep and work in the same room and most of them were suffering from cold and cough, said BBA.

Meanwhile, police have sealed five premises and have arrested two employers. All the rescued children will get Rs.20,000 each from the employers as compensation.