Keonjhar: Labor Department in collaboration with local police here rescued nine minor girls Tuesday while they were being taken to work on paddy fields of Jajpur district by an agent.
The girls were rescued after officials of the departments, acting on a tip off, conducted a raid on a bus in which they were travelling. The rescued minors belong to Sagarpali area under Banspal block in Keonjhar district, said a source.
The agent has been identified as Golak Bharati. She was also travelling in that bus.
According to preliminary investigation and confessions of Bharati, the nine minors were being taken to Uchinda village under Panikoili block in Jajpur to work on paddy fields.
On being informed, rural labor auditors Kumudini Kabita Hembram, Bharat Chandra Das and Brundaban Juang stopped the bus, rescued the minors and sent them to rescue homes. They hinted at stringent action against the agents that hire minors for work.
That said, it may be mentioned here that migrant workers and child labourers are nothing new to poverty-stricken districts of the state.
PNN