Telangana Police Rescue Over 6,300 Children During Month-Long Operation Muskaan

Hyderabad, Aug 2026: The Telangana Police rescued 6,307 children during the month-long Operation Muskaan-XII conducted across the state in July, as part of a nationwide campaign aimed at preventing child labour, trafficking and exploitation.

The operation was carried out from July 1 to 31 under the supervision of the Telangana Police Women Safety Wing, the nodal agency for the initiative in the state. Women Safety Wing Director General Shikha Goel said the rescued children included 5,892 boys and 415 girls.

Of the total children rescued, 3,447 were found within Telangana, while another 2,860 were traced and rescued from 15 other states, including Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal and Jharkhand. Police teams also rescued 40 children from Nepal.

The extensive operation involved 124 Sub-Divisional Police Teams comprising 620 police personnel, working in coordination with the Women Development and Child Welfare Department, Labour Department, Health Department, Child Welfare Committees, District Child Protection Units and non-governmental organisations.

Preparations for the campaign began with a state-level convergence meeting on June 30, followed by specialised training for personnel on standard operating procedures and relevant child protection laws. These included the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015, Child Labour Act and Bonded Labour Act.

Authorities also identified vulnerable locations where children were likely to be found working or living in unsafe conditions. These included railway and bus stations, religious places, brick kilns, mechanic workshops, construction sites and roadside tea stalls.

Among the children rescued, 5,041 were identified as child labourers, while one was found in bonded labour. The operation also rescued 647 street children, 43 children engaged in begging, one orphan and 11 runaway children. Another 563 children were rescued from situations involving school dropout, child marriage and illegal adoption.

The operation also resulted in significant legal action. According to the Women Safety Wing, 1,705 FIRs were registered and 1,710 accused persons were arrested. As many as 1,989 children were rescued in cases linked to these FIRs.

Rehabilitation and family reunification remained an important component of the campaign. Police and partner agencies successfully reunited 5,737 children with their families, while 570 others were admitted to child care institutions for protection and rehabilitation.

The Labour Department also imposed fines amounting to Rs 37.95 lakh under the Minimum Wages Act during the operation.

The rescued children were found working in a wide range of establishments and occupations, including street vending, hotels and dhabas, construction sites, grocery stores, automobile and transport businesses, retail outlets and offices. Police teams also conducted inspections at meat and chicken shops, brick kilns, roof-tile units, welding workshops, bakeries, footwear stores and electrical and electronics shops.

Special attention was also given to school dropouts and children found working in different sectors, with authorities assessing their rehabilitation and educational needs.

Shikha Goel said Operation Muskaan-XII demonstrated the Telangana Police’s continued commitment to eliminating child trafficking, child labour and bonded labour through coordinated action involving multiple government departments and civil society organisations.