Hyderabad: As many as 1,051 children including 139 girls were rescued from various places during ‘Operation Smile XI’ initiative conducted by Rachakonda Police in the month of January. The programme was conducted to trace missing children, identify potential child labour and adolescents in hazardous occupations.
Of to the 1,051 children, a total of 512 boys and 28 girls were from Telangana and 511 children including 38 girls were from other States.
Rachakonda Police said that in the last one month, 464 cases were registered and 410 General Diary entries were made against managements and companies and nine persons were booked and arrested under sections of Child Labour Act- 1968 and Juvenile Justice Act for procuring and engaging children as labour.
The Rachakonda Police Commissionerate has a total of eight teams each led by a Sub-inspector level officer and 4 police constable officers from each division.
Officials said children were rescued from various States including Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Maharashtra, West Bengal and Odisha.
While some children were handed over to their parents others were sent to the child homes, which fall under the supervision of the Child Welfare Committee authorities.