20 February 2008, New Delhi- Motibagh flyover is near Chanakya-Puri the straight road that leads to President's house and the one which has all Embassies at the right side. It is a highly secured area, even a commercial truck can't pass-by without security permission; yet this highly secured part of New Delhi is also the one propagating forced beggary.

Shanti 10 years old from Ajmer, Rajasthan came to Motibagh traffic signal when she was 7 years old with women called Kali. Kali aunty came to my village and used to talk to my mother everyday and then one day my mother told me to pack my bags to go to big city called New Delhi; so with 7 children from my village I came here. I was forced to beg from 8 AM to 11 PM. I was forced to tear out my clothes and to not bathe for months so that I could look miserable and could get more money from the passers-by and we were given meal only once in a day so that we look thin and malnourished recalled Shanti when rescued by Bachpan Bachao Andolan (Save the Childhood Movement ) and police today. All the 13 children rescued in this raid operation were in miserable condition and were showing signs of physical abuse. After some conversation with the rescued 7 girls and 6 boys BBA activists found that these children were not only beaten day and night but also were given a kind of tobacco named 'gul' so that they could survive all kinds of harsh environmental condition and beatings. These children were were also given a target of collecting Rs. 300/ day and if they were not able to collect that much money they used to have night full of beatings, thrashings and emotional harassments. 20 children were identified but 13 children were rescued as 7 children were made to run away.

The information of the 20 children working on the Motibagh traffic signal was given by Khoj Foundation, a non-profit organization working for street children. When the children told the activists of Khoj that they were forced to beg and wanted to go home, the organisation filed a complaint to Child Welfare Committee (CWC) on 15th January 2008 and the order by CWC was passed on to R.K Puram Police Station to take action on the issue under the Juvenile Justice Act 2000 amendment 2006 31st January, but nothing was done about it.

Khoj Foundation then approached BBA to intervene. The raid was conducted under the leadership of Rakesh Senger, National Secretary of BBA.

Suraj the youngest child rescued in today's raid in 7 year old and is not mentally stable. He wants to go home but is not able to recall from where he was brought to the city. I was made to beg on different traffic signals by Tony and he used to beat me a lot as I could not complete the target of  Rs 300/ day. "People from whom I ask for money are very rich as their cars are huge in size; I also want to be like them rich and strong" expressed Suraj.

Kailash Satyarthi, founder of BBA and chairperson of Global March Against Child Labour said that this is a clear case of modern slavery and human trafficking which is being perpetuated in connivance with the local police, other authorities and exploitation of many people.