Operation Smile: 85 children working as labourers rescued in Adilabad

Under Operation Smile, police rescued 85 children from forced labour in Adilabad and 51 in Kumram Bheem Asifabad. Officials registered cases against offenders and urged citizens to report child exploitation through Dial 100, assuring confidentiality

Adilabad: Superintendent of Police Akhil Mahajan said that 85 children who were forced to work as labourers were rescued under Operation Smile, which concluded on January 31.

In a statement, Mahajan said that 79 boys and six girls were rescued from eateries, brick kilns and construction sites by teams from the police, child protection, education, health and revenue departments. The children were from 24 States. He added that 35 cases were registered against those who had engaged them in labour.

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The SP said the rescued children would be handed over to their parents. Warning of stern action against those who exploit children, he urged the public to report such crimes through the Dial 100 service. He assured that the identity of informants would be kept confidential.

Meanwhile, 51 children, including 46 boys and five girls, were rescued in Kumram Bheem Asifabad district under Operation Smile. SP Nitika Pant said the initiative was aimed at eradicating child labour.