In a significant crackdown on child labor, the Rachakonda Police rescued 2,479 children engaged in hazardous and illegal occupations across the commissionerate during July 2025, as part of the nationwide initiative ‘Operation Muskaan-XI’. The drive, aimed at tracing missing children and identifying minors exploited for labor, resulted in the registration of 530 FIRs and the arrest of 556 individuals responsible for employing children under dangerous conditions. Of the total children rescued, 2,353 were boys and 126 were girls. Among them, 109 were under the age of 14, while the majority—2,370—were between 14 and 18 years old.

According to officials, 1,077 of the rescued children were from Telangana, 133 hailed from Andhra Pradesh, and a staggering 1,269 came from other states such as Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, and Jharkhand. Additionally, 12 children were identified as being trafficked from Nepal. Many of these children were found working in industries such as construction, automotive garages, roadside eateries, brick kilns, and other hazardous environments, where their safety and basic rights were at serious risk. Authorities noted that several children had been separated from their families for months or even years and were unaware of how to return home.

For the calendar year 2025, the Rachakonda Police successfully rescued a total of 3,550 children when combining efforts under both ‘Operation Smile-XI’ and ‘Operation Muskaan-XI’. A total of 1,002 FIRs were registered in connection with child exploitation and illegal labor. Officials emphasized that beyond rescuing the children, the department is working with child welfare committees and NGOs to ensure the minors receive counseling, rehabilitation, and safe repatriation. The operation underscores the urgent need for stronger enforcement and awareness to combat child labor in both urban and rural areas across India.