Udaipur, May 13: Udaipur police have made a significant breakthrough in the fight against human trafficking and child labour by rescuing 91 minor children from textile factories in Surat, Gujarat. These children, aged between 7 to 14 years, were forced to work for meager wages and were mostly trafficked from tribal areas of the Udaipur division. During the operation, factory operators and traffickers managed to escape.
The joint operation was conducted under the direction of District Superintendent of Police Dr. Amrita Duhan, led by Additional Superintendent of Police Madhuri Verma and Deputy Superintendent of Police Chhagan Purohit, along with the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit. The campaign also received support from child rights experts and former members of the Rajasthan State Child Rights Protection Commission, including Dr. Shailendra Pandya, Nitin Paliwal, Payal Kaneria, and the Gayatri Seva Sansthan. The Gujarat police played a crucial role in the operation as well.
According to police reports, information was received regarding a large number of minors being illegally employed in Surat’s textile industry. Following this, the joint team raided various factories and locations. The operation successfully freed 91 children who had been lured or coerced from their villages and tribal areas to work in Surat for extremely low wages. Many of these children had been living in factory premises away from their families for months.
All rescued children have been presented before the Child Welfare Committee in Surat. As per the committee’s directives, counseling, health check-ups, and contact with their families have begun. The police are now investigating the entire network involved in the trafficking of these children and the agents responsible for bringing them to Gujarat.
Dr. Amrita Duhan emphasized that employing children under the age of 14 is a criminal offense. Strict action will be taken against those who engage in child labour in hotels, dhabas, factories, shops, or homes under the Child Labour Prohibition Act. She urged the public to report any instances of child labour or human trafficking to the Child Helpline at 1098 or the police control room at 100 or 112, assuring that the identity of informants will be kept confidential.
The operation involved significant contributions from Inspector Dayalal Chauhan, along with Sub-Inspectors Rekha, Subhashchandra, Vanraj Singh, and several female constables, showcasing the dedicated efforts of the entire team.