In order to rescue missing children and hand over them to their parents, the Karimnagar district police have launched an ambitious programme called ‘Operation Smile’ in coordination with Child Friendly Society.
As part of the Operation Smile programme, Superintendent of Police V. Shiva Kumar had constituted a Special Juvenile Police Unit (SJPU) with one sub-inspector of police and four constables in each police sub-division in Karimnagar district. SJPUs have been constituted in all the six police sub-divisions in the district.
These special police teams will conduct search operations at the bus stations, railway stations, hotels, bars and other places everyday. After the police notice missing children, they would immediately hand over them to the child welfare committee, who in turn, would rehabilitate them by putting them in the women and child care centres. The SJPU will also register criminal cases against the persons if they engage children in various works.
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These measures are being initiated to check child abuse, girl trafficking and other crimes against children.
In a press note here on Thursday, Superintendent of Police V. Shiva Kumar said that they had registered a total of 55 children missing cases in the district since 2010 and so far, had rescued 33 children. He said that they would conduct a special drive to rescue the missing children till January 31 in Karimnagar district.