The team of Zila Yuva Vikas Sangathan, in a joint operation with the Railway Protection Force (RPF), Ambala, and the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit, has rescued nine minor boys who were allegedly being taken for labour in rice mills in Haryana and Punjab.
As per the information, the children were being taken through the Jan Nayak Express (15211) to different locations in Karnal and Punjab late Thursday night. Following a tip-off, the Zila Yuva Vikas Sangathan, in a joint operation, inspected the train and rescued the children.
Zila Yuva Vikas Sangathan State Programme Coordinator Ajay Tiwari said that, following the information, the train was inspected at Ambala Cantonment Railway Station around 10.30 pm on Thursday. During the inspection, nine boys were rescued.
During preliminary questioning, the boys told the officials that they were being taken to different rice mills in Karnal, Ludhiana and Jalandhar for labour. They belong to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The contractor had given Rs 500 to Rs 3,000 in advance to the boys, while they were promised wages of Rs 12,000 to Rs 15,000 a month.
They were told they would work from 8 am to 8 pm in the rice mills.
After completing the DDR and medical formalities, all the rescued children were produced before the Child Welfare Committee, Ambala. The children have been placed at the Open Shelter Home, Ambala Cantonment, for care and protection. Currently, counselling is being done and their family members are being contacted, he said.
Sangathan president Parmjeet Singh Badola said a close watch was being kept on trains being used to transport children for labour and regular inspections were being carried out to rescue them.
“Soon after getting information about the children, information was shared with the Women and Child Development Department, Haryana. After coordinating with the Railway Protection Force and other relevant departments, nine boys were rescued from the train. Since the trains halt for a few minutes, scanning the trains is a challenging task, but we are working in coordination with the RPF and other concerned authorities to ensure smooth rescue operations. Efforts are being made to locate the children’s families to ensure their safe return,” he said.
