In the last three months, railway officials and a NGO have rescued 30 children, who either ran away from home or got lost while travelling with parents, from the Katpadi Railway Station.
B. Mathivanan, Station Manager of Katpadi Railway Station, said “Operation Muskaan” was being implemented to rescue children found wandering in the station for the last one year.
“The Hope House, a NGO, has joined hands in identifying children, who leave their homes due to various reasons, board trains and land at the station, and rescuing them. All these children are below 18 years. While a majority of them leave their homes voluntarily, a few get lost while travelling with their parents,” he said.
Memo issued
Once such children are spotted on the station platforms, the NGO members strike a conversation with them, and take them to the station manager. The Government Railway Police is informed and they issue a memo for handing over the child to the Child Welfare Committee.
“The child is then taken to the NGO’s home and their basic needs provided. The contact details of the parents are obtained and steps to reunite them are taken,” Mr. Mathivanan said.
The NGO has deployed three of its members at the railway station round-the-clock to rescue children.
On Tuesday, the station authorities along with students and the NGO distributed pamphlets to commuters on how to help in identifying such children and provide immediate information.
Boys on the run
He added that they mostly came cross boys, who leave their homes due to various reasons including family problems.
“Last month alone, we rescued nine children, of which four were reunited with their families. In June, July and August, we have rescued a total of 30 children from the station. We have taken up this initiative on a priority basis to protect such children from falling prey to anti-social elements,” he said.
Mr. Mathivanan said that the NGO had requested for setting up a rescue room at the station.
