A six-year old lost in the city dreams. But this story ended not in a nightmare but a reunion with his family. The operation was spearheaded by a radio jockey and the Police to help the child – whose name is Lucky.
Rani Jha, popularly ‘RJ Rani’ on 92.7 BIG FM, found the child sleeping by the door of a fast train to Churchgate on June 23. While others went about their commute without a second glance, Ms. Jha went over to him.
“The boy only said he stays in Kalyan and has family in Gol Deool in Mumbai Central. He gave his parents’ names as Rakesh and Sangeeta Bihari, but had no address. I was concerned about his safety,” Ms. Jha recalled.
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She took him to Tardeo police and the boy was sent to a juvenile shelter in Dongri. Sub-Inspector Avinash Shinde then launched a search for his family. The child’s picture on WhatsApp groups and a missing minor alert got no results. “Since he mentioned a grandmother working in Gol Deool, we showed his picture to everyone but got no leads,” Mr. Shinde said.
Ms. Jha spoke about the boy on radio for two days: yet, no luck. Mr. Shinde took him to the Kalyan station, where he said he stayed with parents, and scanned the area, speaking to porters, hawkers and stall vendors. No progress.
At the shelter, Lucky mixed well and showed interest in learning. Ms. Jha and Mr. Shinde were disappointed that without his parents, he would not be able to study. Mr Shinde went back to Gol Deeol and finally, on July 18, traced Lucky’s grandmother, a flower seller.
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“I was speechless with happiness,” Ms. Jha recounted. She will now bear the expenses for Lucky to be enrolled in a proper school. “In Mumbai, scores of unescorted minors can be seen on the streets. They must be saved from wrong company,” Mr. Shinde said.