Child abandoned in local train in Kolkata

The social media went abuzz on Sunday afternoon as the news and the photograph of a deserted child was uploaded on the networking sites. Many got in touch with the helpline that rescues children and expressed their desire to adopt the child, who was rescued from a train compartment in the southern suburbs of Kolkata on Saturday.

As the commuters boarded the first Sealdah-bound local train at Diamond Harbour station, in the southern suburbs of the city on Saturday, they noticed a child asleep in a corner seat. Scattered around him were a few bottles of milk, clothes, winter wear, diapers and medicines. The passengers informed the Government Railway Police which took him away. The child was “apparently” abandoned by his family, GRP officials said.

A dog was found under the seat.

The incident created huge stir in the social media and adoption appeals kept pouring in. “If his parents cannot be traced, I request Bangladesh Child line to help me in adopting him,” said Layla Begum from Kailasahar on the Indo-Bangladesh border.

Several people have also offered financial support to raise the child.

“We have received calls from people who have expressed their desire to adopt the child. We are in talks with them,” Diamond Harbour child helpline member Archana Haldar told The Hindu .

The boy has been shifted to a child care centre and will be produced at the Child Welfare Committee of National Commission of Protection of Child Rights next week.