Madhya Pradesh: 58 Child Laborers Rescued From Distillery Slavery

In a recent operation, a total of 58 child laborers, comprising 39 boys and 19 girls, were rescued from a distillery located in the Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh.

An announcement stated that the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) and the Association of Voluntary Action, also known as Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA), conducted a raid at Som Distillery, on Saturday.

BBA said, “Children bore burn wounds on their hands from exposure to harsh chemicals and alcohol. They were transported daily by their employer in a school bus and worked 12-14 hours daily.”

BBA director Manish Sharma, who was also part of the team informed, “The stench of alcohol and chemicals was unbearable. It is unimaginable the children worked in these conditions for such long hours every day. We appeal for strict action against the employers.”

After the successful rescue operation, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav addressed the public through a televised broadcast and emphasized that stringent measures will be implemented to ensure accountability and justice for those responsible.

The CM wrote, “Received detailed information from the labor, excise, and police departments, and direction has been given for taking appropriate action. Strict action will be taken against the guilty.”

In the meantime, efforts to reach out to Alok Arora, the director of Som Group of Companies, for a statement were unsuccessful, and Arvind Dube, the collector of Raisen, also could not be reached.

Som Distilleries & Breweries is a collection of ISO-certified enterprises that produce and distribute beer, IMFL (India-made Foreign Liquor), and RTD (Ready to Drink) beverages.