Department of Labour and the Department of Women and Child Development rescued a 12-year-old boy, who was allegedly employed as a domestic help by a family in Kalamboli on Tuesday.
Later an FIR was registered at the Kalamboli police station under the relevant sections of the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986 against the accused family. They are yet to be arrested.
According to the police, the accused family had brought the boy from his hometown in Uttar Pardesh in January assuring his family members that they would take care of his education.
However, they later forced him to do household chores. Some of their neighbours, who learnt about it, called the childline-1098 (a service of Ministry of Women and Child Development) and informed about it.
Based on neighbour's complaint, a team of officials from the Department of Labour and the Department of Women and Child Development carried out a raid at their house located at sector 20 in Kalamboli, and rescued the boy.
The boy was later brought to the police station where he confirmed that he was forced to do household chores. Following the confirmation from the boy an FIR was lodged against the family. "We are now making further inquiries before arresting them,” said woman constable Sushma Patil, who is investigating officer of the case.
“The boy is now in the custody of Department of Women and Child Development and they are in a process of handing him to his family members. It is still not clear if the accused couple had employed such minor boys and girls as domestic helps in the past too. Our investigations are on,” she further said.
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