The Government Railway Police (GRP) has rescued over 500 runaway or abandoned children within the Tiruchi District limits over the past three years, Superintendent of Police E.T.Samson said on Monday.
Majority of the rescued children were boys, said Mr.Samson at a sensitisation programme organised for field-level railway police personnel on child rights and protection by the District Child Protection Unit here.
At least 201 runaway children in 2012 and 220 children in 2013 were rescued by the GRP, Mr.Samson said. Up to November 2014, the GRP had rescued 114 children within the Tiruchi District limits which extends from Villupuram in the north to Kuzhithurai near Kanyakumari in the south.
The rescued children were handed over to child welfare committees for being reunited with their parents, he said and added that minors who did not have home to stay were placed in children’s home.
With the GRP encountering several instances of runaway children, a child welfare officer had been nominated in every railway police station to interact with the rescued minors. Exhorting railway police personnel to keep themselves abreast of the various laws relating to children, Mr.Samson advised them to adopt a humane approach while dealing with children.
R.Devika, District Child Protection Officer, said sensitisation programme on Juvenile Justice Act, Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, and the role of District Child Protection Unit and Child Rights were organised for officials.
Sessions on women and child trafficking, role of child welfare committees in child protection, and Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, formed part of the programme.
