37 child labourers rescued

Officials of the Labour Department rescued 37 child labourers, including 35 girls and two boys, from a field near Bandalli village of Yadgir taluk on Thursday evening.

They were working as daily wagers in a cotton field, allegedly belonging to an Andhra Pradesh migrant farmer, when the officials conducted raids.

Talking to

The Hindu on Friday, Raghuveersingh Thakur, planning director of Child Labour Department, said that they were brought to the district headquarters and handed over to their respective parents.

The children are all below 16 years of age, he added.

According to initial information, they are drop-outs from Hattkuni, Honagera and Bandalli village schools and had been working in the agriculture fields.

A legal action has already been initiated against the land owner, he added.