Mangalore: Minor Girl Rescued from House, Family Deny Charges of Child Labour
Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore
Mangalore, Nov 17: A girl, allegedly a child labourer, was rescued from a house in Pandeshwar Old Kent Road here on Thursday November 17.
The girl has been identified as 12-year-old Minaz. She was allegedly employed as a labourer in the house of one Mansoor Hussain.
Based on a complaint, officials of the labour department, child development project office (CDPO) and Pandeshwar police raided the house at around 10. 30 am on Thursday.
It is said that the residents of the house did not open the door at first. But on the insistence of the officials, they finally opened it. The officials found a 12-year-old girl in the house and took her into their charge.
Speaking to reporters, Gangadhar of CDOP said that their office had received a complaint that the house in question had around five or six child labourers. The CDOP then informed the labour department and Pandeshwar police and with their help raided Hussain's house.
"We found one girl by name Minaz, aged around 12 years who was employed in the house. We will send her for medical examination and then hand her over to the child welfare committee," he said.
The raid operation lasted for around three hours from 10.30 am to 1.30 pm.
The residents of the house, however, had a different version to narrate. They said that the girl was not employed but was only staying temporarily at the house. "During Ramadan her brother from Bergur village of Tarikere in Chikmagalur had come to seek alms from them, and met with an accident. We helped him out and once he was fine he returned to his hometown. About 10 days back, he came to Mangalore again for treatment and brought his sister Minaz along with him. Since then she has been staying with us while her brother is undergoing treatment," the family members said.
The girl also corrborated the statement and said that her brother had met with an accident sometime back and that she had come with him to Mangalore.
She further said that she was a student of 6th standard in Tarikere government school.
Minaz will be handed over to the child welfare committee and further investigations will be conducted.