High drama during raid to rescue child

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, December 5

A child working as a labourer was rescued by a team of Labour Department officials during a raid at a grocery store in Sirki Bazaar on Wednesday.

High drama was witnessed at the venue when a large number of shopkeepers gathered and started interrupting the proceedings.

After receiving information from sources that a child was working in a shop at Sirki Bazaar, a team of the Labour Department officials reached the venue in the afternoon.

As the raiding team tried to take the child with them, shopkeepers confronted the officials.

A verbal spat ensued following which police personnel from the Kotwali police station intervened in the matter and took away the child with them.

Harish Garg, one of the owners of the shop, said, “The child started working with us three months ago and he and his caretaker have no reservations with that. We provide him money for his work. He is an orphan and earning money for livelihood is not wrong.”

Seema Begum, who is a neighbour of the child and claimed to be his caretaker too, said, “The child’s mother passed away when he was three-year-old and around three months ago his father also died. Since, there was no one to look after him. My family is taking care of him since then.”

Begum burst into tears saying that she had not committed any crime and the child had started working in the shop at his own will.

Kartar Jaura, chairman, Punjab Pardesh Beopar Mandal, also reached the venue. He said, “The officials of the Labour Department have conducted the raid and taken away the child. The authorities are abiding by the law so we will also cooperate in equal measure. We will discuss the matter with them to work out a possible solution in the matter.”

Baljit Singh, labour inspector, said, “After receiving information that a child is working as labourer at a shop in Sirki Bazaar, we conducted a raid and rescued the boy who appears to be 14-15 years of age. After the medical examination, the child would be produced before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC). Thereafter, the boy would be taken to the children’s home and if any caretaker claims to take the child they have to validate their claim with strong evidence.”