Operation Smile brings tears of joy to children

Serilingampally: The Cyberabad Police has setup the 'Operation Smile Teams' in its three zones, which will work throughout the year to rescue children from child labour, begging, rag picking, besides saving runaway and vulnerable children.

During the period between March 20 and May 15 this year, the police rescued nearly 101 (77 boys, 24 girls) children from rag picking, child labour and begging. Among these, 95 children (71 boys, 24 girls) were sent to shelter homes.

Around 25 cases were registered against persons employing children as labourers. The children were produced before the Child Welfare Committee and sent to various shelter homes. Children in the shelter homes are being sent to schools.

The occupation-wise children rescued was begging (20-14 boys & 6 girls), child labour (63-50 boys & 13 girls) and rag picking (18-13 boys & 5 girls). Of the 101 rescued children, 54 (38 boys & 16 girls) belong to other states.

Based on some credible information that some children were working along with their parents at a brick kiln at Borampet village, Qutubullapur mandal in Medchal district, the team members observed the location and took pictures of the children while they were working along with their parents in claying and tessellation of bricks for brunt.

On April 3 this year, the Smile Team and SHE Team, with help District Child Protection Unit (DCPU) Ranga Reddy, went to the spot and rescued 7 children (3 boys and 4 girls) all under 14 years of age. A case was registered against the employer in Dundigal Police Station.

Similarly, upon receiving information that some children were working along with their parents at a brick kiln at Chakalidanigadda Thanda village in Nandigama Mandal falling within the Shamshabad Zone, the team went to the spot and rescued 16 children (nine boys and seven girls) all aged 14 years. A case was registered against the employer in Nandigama Police Station.

Last year in August, the team members found two boys, aged between 12 and 14 years picking rags at KPHB Colony. They recued the children with the help of a CWC member and sent them to Child Haven Home, Kismathpur, for shelter. On March 26, this year, the team members again found two boys aged 12-14 years sleeping on JNTU footpath.

Enquiries revealed that they had escaped from the Child Haven Home, Kismathpur, on September 18, 2018. A missing case was registered by Rajendra Nagar police. The Smile Team members informed CWC and it admitted them in Saidabad Home for Boys.

The teams search for vulnerable children aged below 14 years who are found on footpaths, traffic junctions, working in tea stalls, dhabas, near religious places, micro industries in the Cyberabad Commissionerate. The Cyberabad Police have a special WhatsApp for reporting child labour. Citizens can dial this number or dial 100 or send e-mail to smileteamcyb@gmail.com. Stringent action will be taken against the offenders.