Hyderabad: A total of 54 migrant workers, including seven minor girls were rescued from a brick kiln by the Child Protection Cell officials at Darga Thanda in Narayankhed Mandal of Sangareddy district.
They were sent back to their native Odisha after a rescue operation on Wednesday.
This issue was brought to the attention of the state’s Labor Department’s Hyderabad Zonal joint commissioner, who initiated a probe into the case.
A team comprising district child welfare officer Ratnam, assistant labour officers Yadagiri (Narayankhed), Praveen (Zaheerabad) and Yadaiah (Sangareddy), child welfare officer Lingam, councillor Yadagiri, childline social workers Rani and Navaneetha visited the brick units to conduct the probe.
Among the rescued, 7 out of the 54 labourers were girls below 15 years of age.
Investigations revealed that despite the agreement to pay each labourer Rs 1,000 per week, they were only receiving Rs 500.
The probe further revealed the girls faced harassment and sexual abuse during their work period while being devoid of the basic nutritional requirements.
The seven minor girls were relocated to the Sangareddy Sakhi Centre while the process for sending the remaining labourers back to Odisha is underway.
Police have filed a complaint against the managers of the brick unit, Angoth Paramesh, Angoth Shankar, Gangaram and Ramesh of Darga tanda, based on the report by Childline social activist Navaneetha.
An investigation has been further initiated into the case while the girls have been sent for medical examination.
Follow on Twitter | Posted by Masrath Fatima | 
