Surat, May 19 – In a significant crackdown against child labour, the Surat District Task Force conducted a raid at a residential unit in Muktidham Society, located in the Puna area of the city, and rescued five minor children involved in saree folding work. All the rescued children are originally from Rajasthan and were reportedly forced to work long hours for meagre wages under harsh conditions.
As per agency report, the raid was carried out based on a tip-off that children were being employed in saree folding at Dhanlaxmi Charkha Unit in Puna. During the operation, five minors were found working, with one aged 16 and the remaining four between the ages of 13 and 14.
Following their rescue, the children were temporarily relocated to a shelter home in Katargam. Preliminary investigations revealed that the children had been brought to Surat just two to three months ago and were being paid merely ₹2,000 to ₹3,000 per month for working 10 to 12 hours a day. Their meals and accommodation were arranged within the same premises, but the overall working conditions were described as inhumane.
Authorities are now in the process of verifying the children's identities and ages by obtaining birth certificates from their native villages. Once documentation is confirmed, the factory operators will be booked under the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act along with other applicable legal provisions.
This incident once again highlights the continuing prevalence of child labour in urban areas and the exploitation of minors by unscrupulous operators. Officials have assured that strict action will be taken against those responsible, and all necessary measures will be implemented to ensure justice and rehabilitation for the rescued children.
