Ghaziabad, Oct 14 (IANS): A senior Uttar Pradesh police officer has found that children were used to clean the Hindon river bank here in violation of labour rights.

Inspector General (IG) of UP Police (Civil Defence) Amitabh Thakur was in Ghaziabad to conduct an inquiry following media reports that children were engaged in cleaning the Hindon river bank Sunday last.

He will submit his preliminary report to the district magistrate, deputy labour commissioner and the SSP for legal action against those involved in engaging children in gross violation of Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act and Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act.

Thakur, in a press conference, said he recorded statements of five children - Shahrukh (13), Sahir (6), Aash Mohammad (9), Usman (8) and another Shahrukh Khan (16) -who said a man, later identified as one Anil Agrawal, had asked them to clean the river bank for money.

They said after scavenging mud, stones, broken pots and other dirt for five hours, another person - Ghaziabad (civil defence) chief warden Dharm Pal Garg - paid them Rs.500. The children added they have never been to school.

In another case of child abuse, the police booked one Shahbuddin, a rickshaw puller of Noor Ganj locality in Murad Nagar town, for chaining his two children for the past two months. The children were rescued.