Baramulla, Aug 29 (KNO): Authorities on Friday rescued several minors during special drives in North Kashmir's Baramulla district, as part of its broader campaign to crack down on identified hotspots.
Officials, as per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said that despite repeated awareness efforts, the child labour continues to surface in various pockets of district.
“We are aware of the hotspots where children are exploited and our teams carry out surprise drives to rescue them. This is not a one-time operation but part of sustained action,” a senior official said.
During the operations, children engaged in labour were rescued and shifted for verification and counselling before being moved to government-run child care homes at Reban Sopore and Baramulla.
Authorities stressed that the practice is both illegal and unethical. “Children deserve to be in classrooms, not workplaces. Childhood cannot be sacrificed for labour. Parents or guardians, who push children into work, will also face legal action,” the official warned.
Welfare Committee member Nazia highlighted that lack of awareness remains a major factor. “We identify and rescue, but no drive can succeed without public cooperation. Citizens must report cases on helpline 1098 instead of waiting for raids. Only then can we ensure children are properly rehabilitated and kept away from such exploitation”, she said.
Officials, however, said that surveillance of hotspots will continue and more raids are planned in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, they appealed to the public not to engage children in any form of labour, reminding that it is a punishable offence under law and a grave injustice to the future of society—(KNO)