Four missing children found in destitute home

The disappearance of four children – all within the age group of four to seven – since Friday afternoon created a stir in the city's Ultadanga area on Saturday.

They were finally traced in the evening to a home for destitute children run by a non-governmental organisation near Sealdah station and handed over to their parents.

The police ruled out the possibility of abduction and said they got lost after they strayed out of their locality while playing.

“The parents of the children work as domestic helps and rickshaw-pullers and the children are usually left on their own for most part of the day. On Friday, the four children were left at home by their parents as usual. They were seen playing at a nearby playground by some neighbours before they went missing,” Pallab Kanti Ghosh, the city's Deputy Commissioner of Police (East Suburban Division), said on Saturday.

A missing complaint was lodged at the Manicktola police station late on Friday.

Mr. Ghosh said the children had lost their way while playing and were found loitering near the Sealdah station by a police constable.

“Since the children could not tell their home address properly, the constable took them to a home for destitute children. It was after the news was widely flashed on the local media channels that the constable called us up and informed us about the children,” he added.