Parents can heave a sigh of relief as Operation Muskaan was launched on Saturday which is a campaign dedicated to rescue children working as child labourers as well as to trace missing children.

The campaign which will continue for a month is launched by the Union ministry of home affairs. According to special DGP CID crime, Bijay Kumar Sharma, the police liberated six children on the first day of the rescue operation. The rescued kids were working as child labourers at an eatery near the NH 16.

The children were minor boys who washed plates and did menial chores at the eatery. Following their rescue, the boys appeared before the child welfare committee (CWC) and were sent to a shelter home at Jatni.

 Furthermore, 21 minor boys aged between 10 and 15 who were working in different eateries, garages, grocery and garment shops were rescued by the police from Hinjili area. Berhampur Childline Director, Sudhir Kumar Sabat said that steps will be taken to rehabilitate these children.

The State Crime Branch is monitoring this dedicated campaign which will be conducted in two phases. The first phase is conducted between July15-31 to rescue missing children within the state. In the second phase, teams will be sent outside Odisha to rescue missing children.

This is the third such campaign. Last year Operation Muskaan II was launched which helped to rescue 2,610 missing children. Operation Muskaan I saw the emancipation and rehabilitation of 2,417 missing children.