Various government agencies acting in coordination rescued 17 children engaged in fish collection at Malpe Fishing Harbour in Udupi district in an early morning operation on Thursday.
The operation was led by the Children Protection Unit of the Women and Child Development Department. The rescued children hailed from Raichur and Koppal districts, said a communique here.
The rescued children were later produced before the Children Welfare Committee.
District Children Protection officer Sadanand Nayak, legal officer Prabhakar Achar, labour officer Kumar and others participated in the raid.