Gujarat Police Rescue Child Workers, Arrest Factory Owner

In a significant police operation, 16 minors and five young adults were rescued from two unauthorized jewellery manufacturing units in Gujarat's Rajkot, where they were reportedly subjected to forced labor and abuse.

Authorities arrested Ajitmaula Ajmatmaula, originally from West Bengal, who is accused of exploiting the victims, making them work over 10 hours a day under threat and providing a nominal pay of Rs 8,000 per month. The Rajkot police confirmed that severe abuse, including physical assault, was involved, as verified by medical examinations.

Ajmatmaula allegedly brought the young workers from West Bengal with parental consent, promising them wages that hardly justified the conditions they endured. He now faces charges under various legal provisions, including the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Child Labour Act. The victims have been relocated to a city childcare home under official care.

(With inputs from agencies.)