28 May 2008, New Delhi: 16 children were rescued, 14 from 'Bindi' manufacturing unit and 2 from motor mechanic work shops, in the Nandanagari police station premises in a major raid today by Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA) with the SDM (Nandanagari division), police and labour department. The children belonged to Araria district in Bihar.

Raju (name changed) still remembers the day when a strange man came to his house and after some discussions with father gave Rs. 3000 to him and with a smiling face came to Raju and said­ "come with me I will show you a new world". Raju came to Delhi and the new world for him was closed Bindi factory with a new schedule to work for 16 hours a day and was beaten for slightest mistakes. He added that when my mother died I was not even allowed to go back home for the funeral ceremony and to see my beloved mother's last time. The reason given for this was that the owner had given Rs. 3000 to my father and I could not leave this premise until I paid back. I am working here since one year but I don't know how much debt is left for me to repay. I am happy that now I would be able to go home and be with my family.

The Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Nandanagari, Mr. Vipin Garg said "these children would be given release certificates and rehabilitated under the Bonded Labour System Abolition Act, 1976. They would be beneficiaries of the Government schemes on a priority basis."

9 years old Musheerul (name changed) said that I was working for the past 1 year in this manufacturing unit. I was brought to Delhi by my uncle who said that he would show me city life and have good opportunities to explore. I came here but the reality was different I was given mere Rs. 60 per week as wages of my hard work. My day used to start early morning to midnight and hardly get opportunity to take bath and wash clothes. There were 14 children sit in one room and pasting glitter on the 'Bindi' and packing it for sale. They sleep and eat in the same room, have little scope for movement, there is very little air circulation or light in these rooms.

R. S. Chaurasia, the Chairperson of BBA said "there are over 50,000 children working in different manufacturing units in Delhi. In the past 2½ years, BBA has rescued over 1600 children from several manufacturing units. Despite several orders from the Honourable Delhi High Court, children continue to be employed. This is against the spirit of the law and the Constitution of India. We want a situation where the State takes a firm step and remove children from these units at the earliest."