Eminent Child Labour activist and Chairperson of Global March Against Child Labour, Global Campaign for Education and SACCS/Bachpan Bachao Aandolan Kailash Satyarthi was attacked while leading a group of activist and parents to rescue some children from circus in Colonelganj Tehsil of Gonda District in Uttar Pradesh, North India today.

Acting on complaints of 11 parents and accompanied by 4 parents (two mothers and two fathers) Satyarthi approached the district administration which reluctantly assigned the Sub Divisional Magistrate to conduct a raid in the Great Roman Circus along with Satyarthi. The Great Roman Circus was camping in Colonelganj, District Gonda. There was reluctance on part of the District Magistrate presently posted in Gonda District. Our reports show that children in hundreds were being cruelly treated and exploited in this circus.

However when the raid started, the entire administration instead of facilitating the team led by Kailash Satyarthi, connived with the circus owner to offset the entire exercise. The circus owner with his men launched a barbaric attack on the team with lethal weapons like knives, iron rods and guns. The entire team was mercilessly beaten. Satyarthi who was leading the team sustained head injuries and was bleeding profusely. He sustained several injuries throughout his body. Satyarthi was rescued by the other team members and taken out of the place as the clear intention of the attackers was to eliminate Satyarthi. Satyarthi's son and several others sustained serious injuries. A foreign woman photo-journalist was also beaten up and her camera was smashed. Later he was rushed to the hospital in Lucknow where he got stitches on his head. The x-ray reports of his head injuries are awaited. Satyarthi's condition is stable and he is in high spirits.

Till now several of the children whom the team had gone to rescue are still stuck in the circus. Many parents are also in captivity. We demand that the provincial Government of State of Uttar Pradesh should immediately act for release of all the children and parents held in captivity by the owners of Great Roman Circus. The Government should immediately arrest the culprits led by the owner of the circus and take action against the District Magistrate who is clearly conniving with the attackers and led the entire administration as a mute spectator when this attack was perpetrated on Satyarthi and his colleagues.

In this critical hour we urge the friends, allies, associates, well wishers, patrons and civil society partners worldwide to rise to this occasion and mount pressure on the Government of India to punish the culprits and provide security to Satyarthi

We would appeal to every one to show solidarity and put moral pressure on the Indian government including the President of India, Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister to take note of the seriousness of the matter and give Satyarthi 24 hours security since the local police has miserably failed to protect him. There is a grave threat to his life by the circus owners. Satyarthi was threatened to be killed on the spot and also to the extent that he would be followed to his home in Delhi where he would be eliminated. All this was said in the presence of the media, local police, administration and they could do nothing.

We would also urge you to put pressure on the Indian government and the provincial government of Uttar Pradesh to take strict action against the Circus owner for the atrocious behaviour of first engaging innocent children for labour and then attacking the concerned civil society movement and parents of the trapped children who had gone to rescue the trapped children. Till now, several of the children whom the team had rescued are still stuck in the circus. Many parents are also in captivity. That the children and their parents should immediately be released.

That the Indian government and the provincial government of Uttar Pradesh to take strict action against the local district authorities for their apathetic conduct and their apparent connivance with the circus owner.