Delhi: 45 Minor Boys, Trafficked From Bihar, Rescued From Bangle Factories In Jahangirpuri

At least 45 minor boys, who had been trafficked from Bihar, were rescued from bangle factories in Delhi's Jahangirpuri on Wednesday, March 31.

The boys, some as young as seven, were trafficked last year. Prayas Childline, an NGO that works on preventing child trafficking, conducted the rescue operation along with the Delhi Police and found that the trafficked children were forced to work under abysmal conditions.

"The boys were not allowed to switch on the fans even in searing heat. They used to sit with folded legs for 12 hours straight and were locked up in rooms so that they couldn't even escape," Mukesh Kumar, a representative from the NGO team told The Times of India.

Kumar said that when the employers became aware of the raid being conducted on their premises, they locked the boys in bathrooms and asked others to flee from the spot. Some of the kids were injured during the process.

Reports have pointed out that one of them was admitted to Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial Hospital and another one to Lok Nayak Hospital. One of them reportedly had burn injuries on his face after he started working at the factory.

"The children are still in a state of shock and most of them have not been able to speak about their ordeal till now. As the investigation progresses, they will be asked about their families and their kin will then be called here to take them home," Kumar said.

According to the data released by National Crime Records Bureau, a total of 2,260 cases of human trafficking were registered in 2019. A total of 6,616 victims were reported to be trafficked in which 2,914 children and 3,702 adults were trafficked.

Also Read: This Human Rights Activist Has Rescued Over 5000 Trafficked Victims To Help Them Lead Life With Dignity