Hyderabad: The Hyderabad City Police along with the Child Welfare Committee successfully conducted Operation Muskaan XI in the month of July and rescued a total of 1,247 children, including 560 from other states across India.
The operation was conducted including the departments – Labour Department, Department of Women and Child Welfare, Child Line, Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU), Juvenile Bureau (JB) Unit, and various NGOs from July 1 to July 31.
This intensive month-long operation was aimed at identifying and rescuing children involved in child labour, begging and those found in vulnerable conditions on streets and other unsafe environments.
According to the police, a total of 28 dedicated divisional teams were constituted across the city for this special drive. These teams carried out inspections and rescue operations at various commercial establishments, traffic junctions, bus stations, railway stations, construction sites, and other suspected locations. The teams worked round the clock and displayed exceptional commitment in safeguarding the rights and dignity of children.
Viswaprasad, Addl. CP Crimes said “In the operation, a total of 1,247 children were rescued, including 1,173 boys and 74 girls. Among these rescued children, 673 belong to Telangana State, while 560 were identified as hailing from other states across India.”
He said, notably, 14 children were found to be from Nepal. To ensure stringent legal action against the perpetrators, the police have registered 55 FIRs in various police stations against employers who were found engaging children in illegal labour practices. Furthermore, 939 cases under the Minimum Wages Act have been booked and fine an amount of Rs 47,75,921 against erring employers.
Under the direct supervision of Viswaprasad IPS, Addl. CP Crimes, we conducted a coordination meeting with all stakeholders at the outset of Operation Muskaan XI, followed by a follow-up video conference with 28 divisional teams. This initiative motivated the teams to perform effectively and contributed to the success of Operation Muskaan XI.
