Three 17-year-old boys and a minor girl from Odisha, allegedly confined and made to work as "child labourers", were today rescued here.
The youngsters were rescued from a baking unit, functioning at a house in Kodialbail here, in a joint raid by officials of the child welfare committee, Childline and police.
The team was accompanied by social activist Vidya Dinker.
The three boys were employed in the unit, while the 12-year-old girl was made to work as a house maid at the owner's residence, police said.
The victims told the police that they had to work without lunch breaks and did not get any salary. They were also not allowed to contact their families back in Odisha, they said. Dinker, convenor of Citizens Forum for Mangaluru Development, described it as a case of "human trafficking".
She said they had received information about some persons who brought tribals from Odisha and made them work here in "inhuman" conditions.
The activist said she want police and district administration to take strict action against the accused.
