Surat rescue operation frees over 90 child labourers from textile units

A joint operation by Gujarat police and the Anti‑Human Trafficking Unit of Rajasthan's Udaipur district rescued more than 90 children working in saree‑packing units in Surat, Gujarat. The raid, prompted by a tip from the NGO Gayatri Seva Sansthan, uncovered children aged 7 to 14, most of them from tribal areas of Rajasthan, with a few from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand.

The children were found locked in cramped rooms, working up to 12‑hour days. "They were terrified, confused and looked very tired after working more than 12 hours every day," said Dr Shailendra Pandya of the NGO. Traffickers and employers fled the scene; investigators have identified four suspects and legal proceedings are underway. The rescued minors are being presented before the Child Welfare Committee and efforts are under way to reunite them with their families.