A couple of months ago, a youngster in his early teens landed at the South railway station all alone.
He was noticed by a member of the Railway Childline team engaged in routine inspection of the platform. The boy was taken to the Railway Childline help desk where it was ascertained that he was 15 years old and hailed from Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh.
“The teenager, an orphan in the care of his relatives, turned out to have come all the way here in search of a job,” said Shano Jose, coordinator of Railway Childline. He was temporarily sheltered at the Palluruthy Boys Home as per the directions of the District Child Welfare Committee.
Earlier this week, the child was reunited with his relatives at Ghazipur in the presence of District Child Welfare Committee representatives there. A team comprising Varghese John of the Railway Childline, P.P. Sudheer, assistant sub inspector of special juvenile police unit, and M. Nizar, civil police officer, undertook the trip to Ghazipur with the child.
“In the three-and-a-half years since turning operational at the South railway station, we have safely rescued 573 children wandering along platforms and trains,” said Fr. Jose Koluthuvellil, director of Railway Childline.
The Railway Childline is being operated by Childline and Sahrudaya, the social service wing of Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese with the support of the Southern Railway.
People can use the toll free number 1098 to ensure the safety of children. Passengers in Ernakulam could also pass on information to the Railway Childline over 0484-2981098.
