Further raids on India factories

Around 125 child workers were rescued in Mumbai on Tuesday during raids on leather goods factories and jewellery shops.

This follows our news bulletin on Monday, when 13 children were rescued from factories.

In the Byculla district, the police arrested 32 people, mostly either managers or owners of the establishments, for employing minors at leather goods factories, the Hindustan Times reported.

The Social Service Branch (SSB) of the Mumbai police rescued 61 child labourers in a crackdown on several small-scale establishments in Nehru Nagar and Shivaji Nagar.

Twenty-one child workers, all aged less than 16, were rescued from hotels and shoe making units in Worli following the raid. Nagpada police rescued six child labourers from three different establishments in Madanpura and arrested three employers. Twenty-two children were rescued from eateries and jewellery shops in Girgaum.

"During the raid, we rescued 125 child labourers, all aged between eight and 15, mostly natives of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal. They were put through hardships and had to work in shifts of at least 12 hours each," said Mahesh Patil, deputy commissioner of police.

Most of the children were paid just INR2,500 a month, along with food and accommodation. They will be moved to a shelter home before being handed over to their parents or legal guardians.