21 underage children taken into custody while begging and vending on streets

Sri Lanka Police have taken into custody 21 underage children who were found begging and selling goods on the streets under unsafe conditions.

The operation was carried out as a joint initiative by the Bureau for the Prevention of Abuse of Children and Women, the Police Children and Women Bureau Headquarters, and the National Child Protection Authority. 

The objective of the operation was to identify and rescue minors engaged in street begging and unregulated street vending, and to place them under appropriate protective custody.

This special operation was conducted across multiple police divisions, including Colombo North, Colombo South, Colombo Central, Nugegoda, Gampaha, Panadura, Kelaniya, Negombo, Mount Lavinia, Kalutara, Tangalle, Anuradhapura, Kandy, Kurunegala, Chilaw, Ratnapura, Galle, and Matara. 

These areas were selected for their high population density and the presence of commercial activity, including shopping complexes, marketplaces, and traffic intersections.

Police stated that a total of 21 children were found engaged in activities that posed risks to their safety and well-being. 

They were subsequently taken into custody, and steps have been initiated to transfer them to appropriate child protection services.