The district police have dedicated August to tracking missing children. Under a special drive, christened Operation Muskan, each police officer has been entrusted with one case and given a month to track the child.
The aim is to reunite children with their families, Additional Superintendent of Police M. Narayan told The Hindu . As part of the drive, the city police are coordinating with their counterparts in the rest of the State, officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Social Welfare Department, State Human Rights Commission, child helpline and NGOs who are working for the welfare of the street children, he added.
Police in the districts have been instructed to check for child labour in bars and restaurants, factories, shops and other establishments. Last year, district police successfully traced 18 minors —from toddlers to 14-year-olds — in a similar operation. “This drive will help us crack down on possible child trafficking rings and cases coming under POCSO,” said Mr. Narayan.
Under Operation Muskan, the district police have sought details from travel agencies, overseas placement agencies and passport offices about applications from children. The aim is to keep a check on the possible human trafficking, said the police.
