Rachakonda police rescue 498 children

​Hyderabad: As many as 498 child labourers were rescued in Rachakonda Police Commissionerate limits in January as part of the third round of ‘Operation Smile’ programme.

Of this, 376 children – 189 boys and 187 girls – were working in brick kilns. All of them hailed from Odisha. Besides, 85 children working in different shops and 37 children from other places were rescued during the period.

So far, 28 boys were restored to their parents while efforts were underway to repatriate the children from Odisha in coordination with Odisha government, Employers, who engaged the child labourers, were booked under the provisions of Indian Penal Code, Child Labour Prohibition Act and Juvenile Justice Act.

Cyberabad Police Commissioner Mahesh M Bhagwat warned all the employers against hiring child labourers.