BENGALURU: State police have rescued 800 child labourers in a statewide operation that inspected 16,951 locations after Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar's surprise visit to the Yeshwanthpur Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) yard, officials said on Sunday. The action, undertaken across multiple districts, followed the chief minister's direction to take immediate steps after he noticed children working at the market on September 8.
Operation details and district breakdown
The special drive in Bengaluru city began at 10 am on Saturday and was led by deputy commissioners of police from all 11 divisions, with participation from two DCPs of the Central Crime Branch (CCB). In the city, police teams inspected and raided 5,897 locations — including commercial establishments, industrial areas, factories, shops, garages, construction sites, hotels, petrol pumps and malls — where children might be employed.
Authorities said the largest number of rescues was in Bengaluru, where 503 children were recovered. Other districts with notable rescues included Vijayapura (72), Tumakuru (33), Koppal (27), Kalaburagi (22), Ballari (15) and Mysuru (13).
| District | Children rescued |
|---|---|
| Bengaluru | 503 |
| Vijayapura | 72 |
| Tumakuru | 33 |
| Koppal | 27 |
| Kalaburagi | 22 |
| Ballari | 15 |
| Mysuru | 13 |
Legal action and rehabilitation measures
Police registered 18 cases against shop owners and establishments that allegedly employed children. FIRs were lodged under provisions of the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act and the Juvenile Justice Act, according to official statements.
Officials said rescued children will be processed under child-protection protocols and linked with relevant district child welfare committees and social welfare departments for rehabilitation, family tracing and counselling. The operation was described as part of an immediate enforcement response to the chief minister’s instruction to clamp down on child labour.
Context: Chief Minister's visit prompted action
The crackdown was triggered by Mr. Shivakumar's early-morning inspection of the Yeshwanthpur APMC, where he interacted with farmers, workers and traders and reportedly observed children working at the market. Following the visit, he directed senior police and administrative officials to ensure children were rescued and establishments using child labour held accountable.
- Total locations inspected statewide: 16,951
- Locations raided in Bengaluru: 5,897
- Total children rescued: 800
- Cases registered: 18
Enforcement challenges and next steps
Child labour remains a complex enforcement and socio-economic challenge in Karnataka and across India. Experts and officials repeatedly cite poverty, lack of schooling access and informal employment chains that conceal underage workers. The state operation is likely to be followed by further inspections and coordination with labour and social-welfare departments to prevent re-employment of rescued children.
Police indicated that follow-up visits to establishments and coordination with municipal and labour departments will continue to ensure compliance. District administrations are expected to intensify awareness and monitoring in market complexes, construction sites and informal sectors where children are vulnerable to exploitation.
The state government has previously enacted measures to rehabilitate children rescued from labour and strengthen school-enrolment drives; however, officials say enforcement operations such as the recent crackdown are necessary to address persistent violations.
Further details on the long-term placement and rehabilitation of the rescued children are expected to be released by district child welfare authorities in coming days.
