Four rescued from child labour

PUNE: The flying squad of the labour commissioner’s office rescued four boys working as child labourers at a restaurant, a snack bar and a fabrication workshop at Saswad about 40 km from Pune on Friday.

The children were later sent to the observation home in Pune.

The squad had received information that the three establishments near the Saswad state transport bus stand allegedly employed them.

A squad led by deputy commissioner Mahadeo Shinde took the help of the Saswad police and raided the premises and rescued the children.

They were Bidesh Kumar Ramjit (15), Trimukth Anand Ubale (15) of Uttar Pradesh, Sonu alias Sunil Shivaji Shinde (13) and Vikas Balaji Salunkhe (12) of Saswad.

Investigations revealed that the rescued children were earning between Rs 1,000 and Rs 1,200 and their employers gave them free meals.

The Saswad police have booked Arvind Bapkar of Kathoba bhel centre and snacks bar, Amol Kale of S K Glass and Fabrication and Nilesh Shinde of S Deep Hotel under section 3 of the Child Labourers Act, 1986.

The complaints against the establishment owners were registered by deputy commissioner Mahadeo Shinde and official Nakul Kate. Havaldar D K Adagale is investigating.