In a major development, police rescued as many as 21 minors, 17 girls and four boys, who were allegedly being trafficked for labour and arrested three middlemen in this connection in Koraput district on Friday night.
The children were spotted during a vehicle checking by the Semiliguda police while they were waiting for a bus at Damanjodi Chowk.
All the minors were handed over to the Child Welfare Committee. These children had been picked up from Narayanpatana, Kakarigumma and Damanjodi for manual paddy harvesting. They were reportedly lured by the middlemen to work for Rs 500 per day.
On getting information about the children waiting at the bus-stand, police reached the spot before they could leave.
“The three accused persons have been arrested and will be produced in court today. The children have been handed over to the Child Welfare Committee,” said IIC Sachindra Pradhan.