A total of 7,678 children were rescued from vulnerable and exploitative conditions as part of Operation Muskaan-XI, a month-long child rescue initiative conducted across Telangana from July 1 to 31, 2025. 121 Sub-Divisional police teams comprising 786 police personnel participated in the mission.
The drive targeted high-risk areas such as railway and bus stations, brick kilns, mechanic shops, construction sites, tea stalls, and religious places. It was carried out in coordination with the Women Development and Child Welfare Department, Labour and Health Departments, Child Welfare Committees (CWCs), District Child Protection Units (DCPUs), and NGOs.
Of the total children rescued, 7,149 were boys and 529 were girls. More than half of the children, 3,787, were from outside Telangana, including children from 12 States. Another 3,783 children were from Nepal.
The operation found that 6,718 children were engaged in child labour, 357 were street children, 42 were found begging, and two were in bonded labour. Additionally, 559 children were employed in other hazardous or exploitative roles.
In terms of legal action, 1,713 FIRs were registered and 1,718 individuals were arrested. A total of 1,745 children were rescued as part of these criminal investigations. The Labour Department submitted 1,613 inspection reports.
