Surat : Child Labor Racket Busted Again Saree Units

Surat, Gujarat — In a shocking repeat of a growing crisis, Surat police have once again uncovered a child labor racket operating in the city’s booming saree manufacturing industry. During an intensive investigation by the Puna police’s SHE team, six child laborers were rescued from two residential saree work units in Sitaram Society, Punagam.

Acting on specific intelligence, the Puna police raided house numbers AB/316 and B/314, uncovering that children had been trafficked from villages in Rajasthan’s Udaipur district to work under exploitative conditions. The rescued minors, who had been subjected to grueling 12-hour shifts for a meager Rs 200 a day, have now been safely relocated to Katargam Bal Ashram for rehabilitation.

According to officials, the culprits — identified as Dilip Singh Vardisingh Rajput (42) and Suresingh Nathusingh Kharwad (24) — orchestrated the trafficking operation. Both accused, natives of Rajsamand district in Rajasthan, used deceptive means to bring children to Surat under the pretense of providing jobs and subjected them to illegal labor in the saree industry.

The heinous practice first came to light when two children escaped from a factory a few weeks ago and approached the local police station. Their testimony led to the rescue of five more minors, shedding light on the systematic exploitation of child laborers in Surat’s thriving textile sector.

The current raid follows heightened surveillance and proactive investigation by the police, who suspect that many more minors are trapped in similar conditions across other industrial pockets. Authorities have confirmed that legal cases have been registered against the owners of the saree units, and efforts are underway to arrest all involved parties swiftly.

Police sources have indicated that ongoing search operations will intensify across Surat’s industrial areas. “This is just the beginning,” an officer from the Puna police station remarked. “We are committed to rooting out every single case of child labor from Surat’s textile economy.”

The law clearly prohibits employing children below 14 years of age and adolescents between 14 and 18 years in hazardous industries. Violators can face penalties ranging from ₹20,000 to ₹50,000 in fines or imprisonment between six months to two years.

Authorities have also urged citizens to step forward and report any suspicious cases. Under Indian law, any individual can file an FIR if they suspect a child is being employed illegally. Vigilant public participation, police say, is crucial in eradicating this deeply entrenched exploitation.

The rescue of these six children is a significant victory in the battle against child labor. However, activists stress that much remains to be done to protect vulnerable children from being trafficked and trapped in hazardous industries under exploitative conditions. Surat’s booming industries must now reckon with the human cost hidden behind the glittering façade of their success.