Four children confess to developing alcohol addiction while working

Two men were identified for providing child labour to industrial units under the garb of placement services and taking first month salary from them as ‘placement fee.’

Madhya Pradesh police have arrested a 28-year-old man for allegedly making objectionable comments against PM Modi and Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani on social media.

AT LEAST four of the 13 children who were rescued from a liquor manufacturing unit admitted to having developed an addiction for alchohol before counselors, on Saturday.

They told counselors that they were paid Rs 5,000-Rs 6,000 for working eight-hours a day at the liquor manufacturing and bottling plant at phase-1, Industrial Area. The underage children were also made to work overtime.

Two men were identified for providing child labour to industrial units under the garb of placement services and taking first month salary from them as ‘placement fee.’

At least 15 people including eight girls and seven boys were rescued from a liquor bottling plant, M/s Rock and Storm Bottlers Pvt Ltd on June 29, by a joint team of DCPT, the NGO Bachpan Bachao Andolan, and the Anti Human trafficking wing.

Of the eight girls, two were found to be above 18-years of age. They were handed over to their parents. Meanwhile, all 13 minors are still in the protection of the UT Social Welfare department.
“We gave individual and joint counselling to the rescued children. Four of the rescued boys confessed to developing an alchohol addiction while working at the bottling plant. They reportedly claimed to consume alcohol while working inside the plant.

Two underage girls even show some injuries received while working in the plant. These rescued children are school dropouts and abandoned the schools due to poverty. We have made a detailed report of the counselling statements, which was submitted with the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), which ordered for the registration of an FIR,” said a counselor with District Child Protection Team (DCPT).

“The rescued children were doing the work of filling the liquor in the bottles, cleaning of bottles, labelling and packaging them. The rescued children were counselled for at least one week. They disclosed about two men, who arranged the jobs for them. The rescued children have been working in the unit for the last six-seven months and received their salary in cash,” said another counselor.

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“We were shocked to learn about the disclosures by the rescued underage workers. All of them belong to below poverty line families and most of them are wards of single parents. Liquor manufacturing/bottling units fall in the category of hazardous professions, in which taking work from below 18-year-olds is strictly prohibited. It is a violation of Child Labor (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986. We have instructed the District Child Protection Team (DCPT) to lodge an FIR against the bottling plant management,” said Satinder Kaur Chauhan, Chairperson, CWC.

Tabassum Khan, a leading counselor, DCPT, said, “We approached the UT Labour department to ascertain whether or not the bottling plant management registered the rescued children with the UT Labour department.”

Saurabh Parashar

Saurabh Parashar is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, primarily responsible for the publication’s coverage of Himachal Pradesh. He is a seasoned journalist with over 17 years of experience in print media, specializing in crime, legal affairs, and investigative reporting. Professional Background Education: He holds a Master’s degree in Mass Communication from Guru Jambheshwar University of Science & Technology (Hisar) and a Law degree from Himachal Pradesh University (HPU), Shimla. This legal background significantly informs his reporting on complex judicial and administrative matters. Career Path: Before joining The Indian Express in 2017, he spent 12 years with The Times of India. Core Beats: His primary focus is the socio-political landscape of the hill state, with a specific emphasis on the environment, forest conservation, drug menace (specifically "Chitta"), affairs related to tribal and archaeology and the unique challenges of governance in high-altitude regions. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His recent reporting highlights the critical intersection of policy, law, and social safety in Himachal Pradesh: 1. "Himachal’s battle against Chitta: Why the border areas are most vulnerable" (Late 2025): An investigative look at the transit routes from Punjab and the impact on local youth. 2. "Shimla ropeway clears key hurdle as 820 trees face the axe :According to the Forest Survey of India’s 2021 assessment, 47.21 percent of Shimla’s 5,131 sq km geographical area is under forest cover (Nov 17, 2025). 3. "Himachal to handover 2.7427 ha of non-forest land for Shimla Ropeway: Given the land’s non-forest nature, RTDC and the state will not require permission from MoEFCC" (Nov 18, 2025) 4. "How the centuries-old Jodidara tradition is fading in Himachal’s Trans-Giri region: Jodidara: a form of fraternal polyandry—has long been part of Hatti tribal culture in the Trans-Giri region of Himachal Pradesh and adjoining Uttarakhand. It is believed to have evolved to prevent division of ancestral land and maintain unity among brothers in the harsh, mountainous terrain" (Aug 18, 2025) Legal & Agricultural Affairs "Kisan Sabha hails SC’s setting aside Himachal HC order to remove orchards from forest land" (Dec 18, 2025): Covering a major Supreme Court victory for farmers, where a High Court order to remove fruit-bearing apple orchards was overturned. "Himachal Cabinet nod to new tourism policy; focus on home-stays in tribal areas" (Dec 11, 2025): Detailing the legislative push to decentralize tourism and bring economic benefits to Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur. 3. Governance & Environment "Forest rights and development: Why Himachal is seeking more leeway from Centre" (Dec 19, 2025): Reporting on the legal hurdles faced by the state in infrastructure projects due to the Forest Conservation Act. "Cloudbursts and resilience: How Himachal’s remote villages are building back better" (Nov 2025): Following up on the long-term rehabilitation efforts after monsoon-related disasters. Crime especially cyber crimes, crypto currency etc: crypto currency: "Agents in uniform, motivational speeches, lavish parties: How a Himachal crypto con went unnoticed:A serial conman, a ‘Nelson Mandela Nobel Peace Award winner', and retired policemen got together to pull off a Rs 1,740-crore fraud" (Nov 10, 2023) Signature Beats Saurabh is recognized for his tenacious reporting on the state's drug epidemic. His deep familiarity with the topography and tribal culture of Himachal allows him to report from remote locations like Spiti, Pangi, Shillai, which are often overlooked by national media. His legal expertise makes him a primary choice for covering the Himachal Pradesh High Court on issues ranging from local body elections to environmental PILs. X (Twitter): @saurabh_prashar . ... Read More

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