New Delhi : Twenty children, including eight girls, were rescued from shoe factories and placement agencies here on the initiative of Bachpan Bachao Andolan, an official of the child rights organisation said on Thursday.
Five employers were arrested by the police and an FIR was registered against them under section 370 of IPC, sections 75 and 79 of Juvenile Justice Act 2015, and section 16 of the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act 1976, he said.
Rakesh Senger, Director of victim assistance and campaign of Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA), told IANS that the rescue operation was conducted in Kanjhawala area in the presence of District Magistrate and Delhi Police accompanied by a team of six Jharkhand policemen, the labour inspector, and a team of his organisation.
“Two rescue operations were conducted in the same area on Wednesday. Nine kids from various districts of Bihar, between the age 12-18, were rescued from three shoe making factories whereas 11 children, consisting of eight girls and three boys, were rescued from two placement agencies,” Senger said.
All children rescued from the placement agencies are below the age of 14 years and belong to different districts of Jharkhand, he said.
“The Jharkhand police came to Delhi to rescue children and approached us for help since they did not have any official complaint or identification of the children,” Senger said.
According to BBA, the rescued children were living in dingy rooms in deplorable conditions.
All the children have been sent to various children homes in the national capital. They will soon be taken to the Child Welfare Committee and a sum of Rs.20,000 will be given to each child as compensation by their employers.
Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi is the founder of Bachpan Bachao Andolan.