Ten minors ‘trafficked’ from Bihar rescued

They were working in a shoe soles factory near K.G. Halli

Ten boys, including nine minors, were rescued from a shoe soles factory at Govindapura near K.G. Halli. The boys — aged between 14 and 18 — were trafficked from Sitamarhi district in Bihar and had been working under exploitative conditions in ‘Universal Products SS Footwear’ factory.

K.G. Halli police rescued the children along with the Labour Department and NGO APSA after an anonymous call to the helpline 1098. The boys were forced to work for 12 hours a day without a holiday, and a watchman had been posted to keep an eye on them so that they did not leave the premises, the police said.

Though the boys were promised a monthly wage of Rs. 7,000, many had not received payment for months.

K.G. Halli police have filed cases against the owner of the factory and two traffickers under IPC 370 (Trafficking of Persons), the Bonded Labour (Abolition) Act 1976, and the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2015.