In a coordinated effort between the city police and the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), a total of 47 minor children, forced into begging, have been successfully rescued.
The operation, which took place at 6.30 a.m. Friday, involved officials from various departments including the Women’s Protection Wing (WPW) and Special Inquiry of the Central Crime Branch (CCB), along with police personnel from the Pulakeshi Nagar sub-division.
Reports indicate that among the rescued children, six were under the age of one, while 12 were between the ages of one and three. The rescue operation targeted children engaging in begging near the Hajee Sir Ismail Sait Masjid in Pulakeshi Nagar. Alongside the rescue, authorities also apprehended 36 women believed to be involved in exploiting these minors for begging.
Bengaluru Police Commissioner B. Dayananda stated, “The rescued children have been handed over to the CWC for counseling and rehabilitation. A thorough investigation is under way to verify the backgrounds of the rescued children; and the detained women are being questioned. Cases will be registered under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015, based on the violations uncovered.”
The rescued children were found to be of varying age groups: six between three and six years old, 16 between six and ten, and seven over the age of ten. Among the rescued minors, there were 19 males and 28 females.
