Operation Muskan-14: GRP traces 300 unaccompanied children in railway stations

As part of the drive, GRP teams carried out a special search operation at railway stations falling under the jurisdiction of all Railway Police Stations within the Mumbai Railway Police Commissionerate

MUMBAI: The Government Railway Police (GRP) traced around 300 unaccompanied children at railway station premises across Maharashtra during a special campaign titled ‘Operation Muskan-14’ conducted from January 20 to February 20 this year.

Police stand guard outside a cinema hall which is screening newly released bollywood film Aarakshan, in Mumbai.

As part of the drive, GRP teams carried out a special search operation at railway stations falling under the jurisdiction of all Railway Police Stations within the Mumbai Railway Police Commissionerate. The aim of the drive was to identify children found alone on railway premises.

According to officials, of the 305 children found during the campaign, 193 were safely reunited with their parents through the respective police stations. Another 112 children were placed in children’s homes for care and protection. Of those placed in children’s homes, 54 were later handed over to their parents after verification, while 58 children continue to remain in children’s homes across the state.

The police also said that of the total children traced during the campaign, 18 had previously been reported missing, 14 from other districts and four from other states.

Since 2012, 17 cases of kidnapped children have been registered in the state. During Operation Muskan-14, three of these children were traced and reunited with their families in Dadar, Dombivli and Kalyan.

Kishore Shinde, assistant commissioner of police (GRP) said that the railway police helpline number 1512 is operational to provide immediate assistance to railway passengers at stations falling under the jurisdiction of the Mumbai Railway Police Commissionerate.

“We have formed Nirbhaya squads composed of officers to trace missing children and locate unaccompanied minors in railway premises. We then contact other states to find out whether a missing complaint was filed. We then contact the particular GRP or local police and trace the parents or guardians of the children,” said Shinde.