Slum kids clicked for easy identification

Delhi Police claim to have come up with a novel idea to help locate missing children.

Delhi Police claim to have come up with a novel idea to help locate missing children.

HT Image

Claiming that they are unable to trace missing children as their family members do not have their photographs, Delhi Police, with the help of an NGO, have started collecting data on children living in slums.

Under the scheme, police will collect children's personal information and also get their photographs clicked, which will be handed over to the families.

According to police officials, in case any of these children go missing, the data and photograph will prove crucial in tracing them.

"We have covered 1,500 children under the scheme so far. With the help of an NGO, we went to several clusters, where photographs of all children were taken. The pictures will help us identify the child in case they go missing," said V Renganathan, additional CP (west).

Police officials said Shakti Vahini, the NGO, helped them identify clusters occupied by low income groups. Families, here, were only too happy with the Delhi Police's move.

The NGO, which works for the welfare of children in the city, has welcomed the move.

"It is a good initiative, if implemented properly. Migrants living in the city are so busy earning a living that they don't keep photographs of their children. Photographs are crucial in identifying missing children, and it is a part of community policing to take such measures," said Rishi Kant, member of Shakti Vahini, an NGO working for the welfare of children.

If the experiment is successful, Delhi Police will carry out a similar exercise in other parts of the city too.

According to information collected by NGO Bachpan Bachao Andolan, 722 children have gone missing from January to March this year. Last year the figures stood at 227 for the first three months and 1,575 for the entire year. NGOs allege that missing children are prone to trafficking.