SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, June 13: A special squad from the Dhanbad Labour Department conducted a raid on GT Road (Inter-State NH-2) and rescued three child labourers from a well-known hotel operating under the jurisdiction of Govindpur police station.
The operation was led by Assistant Labour Commissioner Praveen Kumar, who confirmed that the raid targeted the Muradabadi Chicken Biryani Hotel. Three underage workers were found employed at the establishment—two from Jamtara district in Jharkhand and one from Nawada district in Bihar.
“All three children were being paid minimum wages,” Kumar stated.
Legal proceedings are being initiated against the hotel owners under various sections of the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act. Following the rescue, the children were handed over to the District Child Welfare Committee (CWC) and subsequently relocated to Sahyog Village in Chas, Bokaro, for rehabilitation.
Kumar added that the department’s crackdown on child labour would continue across the district. “Operators of hotels, roadside dhabas, motor garages, and other establishments have already been warned. If child labour is discovered, strict legal action will be taken,” he said.
Violators could face fines ranging from ₹20,000 to ₹50,000 and imprisonment of six months to two years, depending on the severity of the offence.
Meanwhile, Shankar Rawani, Director of the Jharkhand Gramin Vikas Trust, said his organisation is committed to the goal of a child labour-free Jharkhand and will continue supporting the Labour Department in this campaign.