Nine children from Assam were rescued from a bakery in Manipur on Thursday. They were taken back to their homes by policemen and officials of Social Welfare Department of Assam. Mirabai Akoijam, the Social Welfare Minister of Manipur handed over the Muslim boys aged between 13-17 years to the Assam government.
The Child Welfare Committee, Thoubal district, raided a bakery located at Kakching Keirak in the same district, as the boys were known to be working as child labourers. The bakery is owned by Mohammad Jallanuddin of Assam. The children told the officials that though they have been working for a long time they were never paid their wages. They further said that they were given insipid scrap meals. These children were picked up on July 25 with the assistance of policemen from Kakching police station. They have been lodged all these days in the observation home of the Juvenile Board. Police have also arrested Mohammad Hellanuddin, a younger brother of the main accused.
Ms. Mirabai said that it is very objectionable that minor aged children are brought to Manipur for forcing them to drudge from morning to night without payment. The bakery owner has disclosed that there are some other boys from Assam in his branch shops at Kakching, Wangjing, Khongjom, Wangoi and Sangai Yumpham. The Manipur government granted Rs 5000 to each of the boys. The Minister went on to say that measures will be taken against child labour and child trafficking in the State.
