India
A total of 325 children including 11 girls were rescued as part of 'Operation Smile', which was launched on January 1 to trace missing children, child labourers and children who were forced into begging.
Hyderabad: On Monday, the Hyderabad police said that more than 300 children from Telangana and other parts of the country, who were engaged as child labourers in various establishments in the city were rescued.
According to Hyderabad police commissioner, Anjani Kumar, a total of 325 children including 11 girls were rescued as part of 'Operation Smile', which was launched on January 1 to trace missing children, child labourers and children who were forced into begging.
Speaking to the reporters, the commissioner said, "Among the rescued children, 53 children have been lodged in rescue homes while 272 have been handed over to their parents."
Seven of the rescued children are below the age of ten, 38 between 11-14 years and 280 children are between the ages of 14-18 years.
Seventeen teams were constituted for the operation and 14 cases booked against various establishments for engaging in child labour.
A fine of Rs 6,75,365 was imposed on establishments for various violations, he said.
The rescued children were found working in different types of factories like those engaged in making bags, bangles, biscuits, bakery and electrical items, Kumar said.
Besides rescuing children belonging to Hyderabad and Telangana, 100 children residing in other states -- Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Nepal -- were rescued during the operation, he said.
Taking a humane approach, police, with its initiative, admitted three of these rescued children in schools, the commissioner said.
The top cops thanked the school management, which has agreed to provide free education for them.
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