‘Tiny hands of children behind the shine of jewellery

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Soni Bazaar in Rajkot, Gujarat is known for its exquisite jewellery. Our activists received information about young children working in five jewellery-making units in the area and post-verification, a complaint was filed with the Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) who quickly sprung to action and conducted a rescue operation on 13 May 2023. During the rescue process at one of the units, the employers tried to create unrest but the team’s determination and the support of stakeholders led to the rescue of 62 children and the arrest of 47 employers. Most of the rescued children were natives of West Bengal. Children as young as 8 years old were forced to polish jewellery in the units. Despite the promise of INR 10,000, they were merely paid INR 400 per month. Post-rescue, the children were sent to Child Care Institutions (CCI) on the orders of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC). The team also assisted in the filing of five First Information Reports (FIRs) under relevant sections of law.

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