Minor boy engaged as ‘child labour’ rescued

Ambala, October 10

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A joint team of the Child Welfare Committee, district child protection unit, Labour Department, Childline and the district police conducted a raid and rescued a minor boy who was allegedly working as a ‘child labour’ at a house in Model Town Colony, on Tuesday.

District Child Protection Officer Megha Singla, said “It was a joint operation. Someone had made a complaint to the Deputy Commissioner in this context that a minor boy had been working as a child labour at a house in Model Town Colony. Acting on the complaint, a raid was conducted and the boy was rescued. There was a maid who earlier claimed that the boy was her son, but she failed to produce any document related to the boy. After being rescued, the boy disclosed that the maid was her mother’s sister.”

Jagmohan Kumar, member CWC, said “During counselling the boy informed that he belonged to Ludhiana district of Punjab and had been living with this family for the past three years. He used to do petty tasks like serving water or tea but he was not forced to do any chore at home. The family has also claimed that the boy was not engaged in child labour and he used to live there as a family member. The family financially helps the mother of the boy and a tutor was also hired for the boy at home. But he was not enrolled in the school.” The CWC will hold a meeting and decide the case. — TNS