Gujarat Police rescue 84 child labourers, book 26 accused in 14 days under 'Operation Child Freedom'
Gandhinagar, June 16
In a crackdown against child labour, Gujarat Police have rescued 84 children from exploitative working conditions and registered 16 criminal cases against 26 accused persons during the first 14 days of a month-long statewide drive titled "Operation Childhood Freedom."
According to a release, under the leadership of Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, Gujarat police launched a campaign with the objective of ensuring "every child is in school, no child is at work."
The campaign has intensified enforcement action across industrial clusters, commercial establishments, and informal labour units where children were found working in violation of labour laws.
In one such action, Kamrej Police in Surat city raided a textile unit, Jay Ambe Textiles, following a tip-off and rescued two minor boys who were allegedly being forced to work under exploitative conditions.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the children were being paid barely ₹200 per day--far below legal and ethical labour standards. Police further found that when the minors resisted continuing work, they were allegedly forced back to their duties against their will.
The children were made to work from 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM with only a one-hour lunch break, enduring long hours of physical, mental, and economic exploitation, officials said.
The rescued children were immediately shifted to safety, while the employer was booked under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, and the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act.
Director General of Police (DGP) G.S. Malik said the operation is not limited to enforcement alone but also focuses on rehabilitation and long-term recovery of rescued children.
"Under Operation Childhood Freedom, 84 child labourers have been rescued, 16 offences registered, and 26 accused booked in the first 14 days of the drive. Alongside enforcement, 67 children have already been rehabilitated and 160 awareness programmes have been conducted across the state," G S Malik said.
He added that the campaign aims to address both immediate rescue and systemic prevention of child exploitation.
"The child labour cases have been reported from textile units, hotels, rice mills, and various small-scale industrial establishments. Investigations suggest that many of the rescued children were migrants from Bihar and Rajasthan, highlighting interstate movement linked to labour networks and possible trafficking vulnerabilities,'' said Ajay Choudhary, Additional Director General of Police, CID Crime (Women Cell).
Officials said the operation is now shifting beyond individual employers to dismantle contractor and supply-chain networks responsible for sourcing child labour.
"The focus is not only on rescue but also on prosecution. Strong legal action is being initiated against employers, contractors, and facilitators involved in child labour," an official said.
Preliminary analysis of cases points to poverty, migration, school dropouts, and demand for cheap labour as key drivers of child labour. Authorities are now planning intelligence-led inspections, surprise raids, and closer coordination with labour departments, child welfare committees, NGOs, and educational institutions.
"The campaign has been structured into four phases, beginning with the mapping of child labour hotspots and identification of school dropouts. This is followed by inspections and rescue operations, after which rescued children are taken up for rehabilitation and enrolment in schools. The final phase focuses on initiating legal action against offenders and networks involved in child labour,'' Ajay Choudhary added.
Senior officials said the remaining phases will focus on dismantling repeat-offender networks and ensuring long-term rehabilitation of rescued children.
Under the initiative, Gujarat Police aim to inspect over 50,000 locations, gather 10,000 intelligence inputs, and rescue more than 5,000 child labourers over the course of the campaign.
Authorities have also intensified outreach efforts to sensitise employers, traders, and factory owners about child labour laws and the importance of education, reinforcing the central message: no child should be deprived of schooling for labour.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Good initiative but I'm skeptical about the 5,000 target. We've seen such ambitious numbers before that rarely materialize. The focus should be on dismantling the supply chain - those contractors who bring children from Bihar and Rajasthan. Without addressing poverty and migration, we're just treating symptoms. That said, kudos to the police for the 84 rescues so far - every child matters.
So heartbreaking to read that these children were working 11-hour days from 8 AM to 7 PM with just a one-hour break. And they were forced back when they resisted?! That's modern-day slavery. I'm glad the police are taking action, but we need to ask why parents send their children to work in the first place. Poverty and lack of schooling options near villages drive this. Awareness programs are good, but we need concrete policies.
This is what good governance looks like! Deputy CM Harsh Sanghavi deserves credit for this focused operation. But I hope this isn't just a one-month drive that fizzles out. Child labour is deeply rooted in our economy - from tea stalls to textile mills. Need sustained vigilance and strong prosecution. Also, why are children from Bihar and Rajasthan being trafficked to Gujarat? Need interstate coordination! 🇮🇳
Respect to the police teams doing this difficult work. But I'm worried about the rehabilitation part - "67 children already rehabilitated" sounds too quick. Real rehabilitation means ensuring they stay in school, their families have alternate income, and they don't go back to work. Also, 160 awareness programs in 14 days seems excessive - hope quality isn't sacrificed for numbers. The children's futures depend on this being done right.
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