39 child laborers rescued from MP liquor factory go missing
What's the story
Thirty-nine child laborers who were rescued from a liquor factory in Raisen, Madhya Pradesh, on Saturday have reportedly gone missing.
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) Chairperson, Priyank Kanungo, alleged that the children disappeared after being handed over to the local administration.
The children were found with burn marks on their hands, suggesting exposure to harmful chemicals.
The raid was initiated following a tip-off about child labor in the factory from Bachpan Bachao Andolan.
Authority delay
Delay in authorities' arrival leads to disappearance of rescued children
On Sunday, Kanungo alleged that the rescued child laborers had gone missing.
He said that around 1:30pm on Saturday, he was informed that the concerned authorities were being sent there, but they did not arrive until 7:00pm.
"SDM reached after 5 hours, while ADM (Additional District Magistrate) reached after 7 hours," he said.
He believes that this delay allowed culprits to take advantage of the darkness and whisk away the children to an unknown location.
Twitter Post
Full statement by NCPCR chairperson
कल दोपहर मध्यप्रदेश के रायसेन ज़िले में निरीक्षण के दौरान हमको सोम डिस्टलरी में शराब बनाने के काम में नियोजित मिले 39 बालक व किशोरों को देर शाम फ़ैक्टरी से ग़ायब कर दिया गया है !!!
— प्रियंक कानूनगो Priyank Kanoongo (मोदी का परिवार) (@KanoongoPriyank) June 16, 2024
क़ानून के अनुसार बाल/बंधुआ श्रम से रेस्क्यू किए गए बच्चों को SDM के समक्ष प्रस्तुत कर बयान करवाये… pic.twitter.com/vj8anFzzoX
Legal proceedings
FIR registered, compensation delayed due to children's disappearance
Nonetheless, an FIR has been registered under bailable sections in response to the incident.
However, he also noted that the compensation of ₹5-10 lakh, which was supposed to be given to the children, cannot be disbursed now due to their disappearance.
He concluded by saying, "The way the CM suspended an official at midnight and took action against him has sent a big message. As a result, the other officials are now looking for the disappeared children."