Kurnool: Engaging children at work is against law, warns SP Fakkeerappa Kaginelli

Kurnool: As many as 18 children were rescued on the first day of Operation Muskaan on Tuesday. The Superintendent of Police Dr Fakkeerappa Kaginelli launched the operation and participated in the programme at Raj Vihar Centre.

Addressing the gathering, he said that following the directions of central and state governments, the Director General of Police (DGP), Goutham Sawang gave instructions to conduct Operation Muskaan which will be conducted for a week July 14 -20 every year. Around 55 teams were formed across the district and these teams would participate in the operation under their sub division limits, said Fakkeerappa.

On the first day of Operation Muskaan, 18 street and orphan children were rescued and they were identified at Raj Vihar, Bangar Peta of One Town area, Gadiyaram hospital, Bellary Chowrastha and Anand Theatre areas. Of the 18 rescued, 14 are boys and 4 are girls. The rescued children would be handed over to their parents and those who do not have parents would be referred to shelter homes, the SP stated.

He further said that children should not come out without masks. It has come to our notice that the children are being used as child labours due to non-availability of workers during lockdown.

Engaging children at work is against law and persons engaged them would be strictly punished, the SP said and interacted with the rescued children and enquired about their whereabouts.He gave them biscuits, masks and sanitisers. Tests will be conducted to the rescued children. The police personnel are directed to conduct Operation Muskaan at railway stations, bus stands, foot paths, hotels, dabas and at auto garages, added Dr Fakkeerappa Kaginelli.

Mahila police station, Sub Divisional Police Officer, Venkatramaiah, Circle Inspectors, Maheshwar Reddy, Vikrama Simha, and Srinivasa Reddy, Sub Inspectors, Jagan and Srinivasulu, DCPO Sharada, Project Officer NIC, Deepa Rani and other social workers participated.