HYDERABAD: As many as seven persons from Bihar and Hyderabad were arrested on Tuesday, for trafficking 54 children into Hyderabad and making them work in extremely hazardous conditions. Four others who are accused in the case are absconding.
Three of the accused were apprehended from the Falaknuma Railway Station in the early hours of Tuesday by Balapur police officials. They were later brought to the police station for interrogation, where they admitted to the crime.
According to the police officials, all of the 54 children were boys aged as young as 8 to 14 years. They were brought to the city two months ago and were kept in a single room at five different locations. It is learnt that in some of these places, their kids were forced to stay alongside a herd of goats.
According to the investigating officials, they were given food devoid of any nutrition, in addition to being made to work under deplorable conditions from 6 am to 11 pm every day. They never saw sunlight, noted the investigating officer.
In fact, they were paid extremely low wages based on their age group. According to the officials, the children between 8 to 10 years were given Rs 1,500 per month, while those between 10 to 12 were given Rs 2,000. Children aged between 12 to 14 were paid the ‘highest’ -- a meagre Rs 2,500 per month.
Since July 1, the Rachakonda police have rescued 176 children under the ongoing Operation Smile.