A day after the media reported on two children helping out their mother by selling dry ginger tea, officials from the National Child Labour Project rescued the children and sent the eldest girl to a home in Dharmapuri, amid opposition from their mother.
On Tuesday, the media reported on Ikkiya (13) and her younger brother Mohammad Yousuf (7) selling tea on government office premises and in Krishnagiri town, during COVID -19 lockdown to help out the household run by their mother Rehmat Banu.
However, the media reports led to action by the National Child Labour Project and the Labour Department.
Ikkiya was produced before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) and sent to Vallalar home in Dharmapuri. When contacted, NCLP Project Officer Priya said the girl was not being separated from their mother, but only being sent to the home from where she would attend school.
Asked about the trauma this was likely to cause the family, Ms.Priya said that upon seeing the report of children being out on the streets during a pandemic, they were mandated to act.
According to Child Protection Officer Subhash, a preliminary inquiry will be held and a report will be submitted.
The children had lost their father in an accident six years ago and they were helping out their mother by selling tea in a flask.
On Wednesday, the mother and her children were summoned to the CWC, where the magistrate passed the orders to send the girl to a home.
