Karnataka Police Rescue 800 Children in Statewide Crackdown on Illegal Child Labour
In a major statewide law enforcement operation, the Karnataka Police have rescued 800 children who were found engaged in illegal child labour across various commercial establishments. The drive was conducted across 962 police station limits following explicit directives from Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, who witnessed child labour during a recent inspection at the Yeshwantpur APMC yard in Bengaluru. Police teams inspected over 16,900 locations including hotels, eateries, garages, shops, and industrial units.
Capital city Bengaluru reported the highest number of rescues with 503 children, followed by Vijayapura with 72, and Tumakuru with 33 children. Police registered 18 FIRs in Bengaluru alone under the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act as well as the Juvenile Justice Act. The rescued children have been produced before Child Welfare Committees for rehabilitation and restoration to their families, while legal proceedings have been initiated against the employers.
