Telangana police rescue 3914 children as part of operation Muskan, 478 cases registered

As many as 3,914 children were rescued in Telangana this year from child labour, begging etc and a total of 478 police cases were registered with respect to crime against children, police said.

According to Swati Lakra, Inspector General of Police (Law and Order), "To trace missing children and to free children involved in bonded labour, micro industries, begging etc we had launched Operation Muskan in the month of July. Since the launch of the initiative, the teams rescued vulnerable children from railway stations, bus stations, religious places, traffic junctions, footpaths etc. Total 3914 children were rescued in which there are 3453 minor boys and 461 minor girls."

The senior police offer also stated that extensive usage of technology was utilised during the operation to monitor the repeat incidents of child labour.

"Specific daily situation reports for collecting data were framed and such collated data was further used to know potential "black spots" where most child labour cases would occur or children were found under vulnerable conditions. Our rescue teams used facial recognition apps on TS Cop as well as DARPAN. Also with the database being developed, repeat incidents involving cases of child labour will be monitored", IPS Lakra said.

As per Telangana police, out of 3914 children rescued this year, 1648 were reunited with their parents while 2266 children were admitted in rescue homes.

478 Cases were registered under various sections concerned to crime against children under section 374 IPC, 353 IPC Section 26, 79 Juvenile Justice Act 2015 and Sections 16, 17, 18 of the Bonded Labour System ( Abolition ) Act 1976 under section 14(1) 18(1) of child Labor (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Act 2016.