Three Minors Rescued During Child Labour Inspections in Anna Nagar and Chennai

The Chennai District Child and Adolescent Labour Prevention Task Force has rescued three minors during surprise child labour inspections conducted in Anna Nagar, Kodungaiyur, and Korukkupet. The operations took place on July 3 and July 6 as part of an ongoing drive to eradicate child labour in the city.

The inspections were carried out following directives from Chennai District Collector S Malathi. Multiple government departments, law enforcement agencies, and non-governmental organisations collaborated to execute the raids.

On July 3, a joint inspection team led by S Sangeetha, the Assistant Commissioner of Labour (Enforcement) for the Chennai First Circle, conducted searches in the Kodungaiyur and Korukkupet areas. The team comprised officials from the Labour Department, the Child Helpline, the Special Juvenile Police Unit (SJPU-1), and the non-governmental organisation AVA.

During this operation, the task force found two 15-year-old boys working in a bag-stitching unit and a vehicle repair workshop. The officials immediately rescued the two minors from these establishments.

Following the rescue, community service register (CSR) entries were filed at the local jurisdictional police station to initiate legal proceedings. The two boys were subsequently produced before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) for further inquiry and to begin their rehabilitation process.

A second raid was conducted on July 6, focusing on the Anna Nagar neighbourhood and its surrounding areas. This operation was led by C Meenakshi, the Assistant Commissioner of Labour (Enforcement) for the Chennai Third Circle.

The Anna Nagar inspection team also included representatives from the Labour Department, the Child Helpline, the Special Juvenile Police Unit (SJPU-1), and the NGO AVA. This joint effort was part of the wider district administration initiative to identify and rescue minors engaged in illegal employment across Chennai.