Surat: Two brave seven-year-old boys managed to escape from a sari packing unit in the Puna area, leading to the rescue of three more children trapped in child labour.

The boys, originally from Rajasthan’s Udaipur district, reached the Godadara police station four days ago to seek help. They told the police that they had been tortured by the unit owner and forced to work up to 16 hours a day for only ₹200.

Police officials accompanied the boys to search for the unit, but they were unable to locate it. The boys were then sent to the children’s home in Katargam. Meanwhile, the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) asked the Varachha, Puna, and Godadara police stations to conduct searches in their respective areas.

Later, after covering a distance of around 5 km, Varachha police, along with the children, found the sari unit in Bilnath Society, under the jurisdiction of Puna police. Three more children, aged between 8 and 17, were found working under similar exploitative conditions.

The unit owner, Prakash Bhuriya, and one of his associates were arrested and booked under the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, the Juvenile Justice Act, and relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

All five children have been sent to the children’s home in Katargam. Efforts are underway to reunite them with their families and ensure their safe return.