Rescue Operation in Gujarat Uncovers Child Labor in Fake Jewelry Units

Child Labor Rescued in Rajkot

In Rajkot, Gujarat, authorities have successfully rescued 21 individuals, including 16 child laborers from West Bengal, from two temporary units producing counterfeit jewelry. These children and workers were reportedly forced to work for over ten hours a day and faced both physical and mental abuse from their employer, according to officials.

The police have identified the suspect as Ajitamoula Azmatmoula, a resident of East Bardhaman district in West Bengal. He was apprehended following a raid conducted on the morning of June 6.

Bharat Basiya, the Assistant Police Commissioner of Rajkot, stated that the accused is facing charges under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including Section 118 (assault) and Section 146 (illegal forced labor), as well as provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act and the Child Labor (Prohibition and Regulation) Act. Medical examinations confirmed that the accused had physically assaulted some minors.

In one particular case, after confirming that an object had been inserted into a child's rectum, the police added sections of the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act to the FIR against the accused.

Basiya mentioned that based on specific intelligence, the Rajkot police team conducted a raid on a house on Morbi Road on Friday morning, where they found 14 minors under the age of 18 and five adults aged between 18 and 22. The victims reported that they were made to work over ten hours daily to produce fake jewelry.