HYDERABAD: It is not only children, who sometimes lose their way and end up at railway and bus stations and on the streets of Hyderabad.
Those with dreams of making it big and those who have arguments at home arrive in the city with vague ideas. Confused, all alone, and unable to eke out a living, some take to begging.
Officials, involved in the rescue of such children, said most of the run aways who escape in trains are those whose homes are adjacent to railway tracks. They don’t opt for buses to avoid paying for tickets. Many get down at railway stations in the city.
As part of the ongoing ‘Operation Muskaan’, a government intiative to rascue street children in the city, being implemented by many departments, search teams have rescued a 16-year-old boy who ran away from his home in Andhra Pradesh to somehow make it big in Telugu film industry. After several failed attempts, he tried his luck in TV shows.
“Failing to find a place in show biz, he went the around streets of Banjara Hills, and survived on money he took from home. After running out of cash, he lived by begging,” said A Naveen Kumar, deputy superintendent, Government Children’s Home for Boys, Saidabad.
Sometimes, academic failure also prompts children to run away from home, particularly if they get an earful from their parents. “Most of the children who come to the city are boys.
Some run away because of failure in academics, or quarrel with parents.
Some semi-orphans, who are harassed by their step-parents, also escape from home,” explained K Shyama Sundari, joint director (Schemes), Women and Child Welfare Department, adding that girls running away alone is rare.
All the children are either provided shelter at the Government Children’s Home for Boys at Saidabad, Girl’s Home at Nimboliadda or the rescue home at Kukatpally, till their parents are located.
The Irrepressible Teen
A 13-year-old boy from Hyderabad ran away from home 14 times! He would go to a shelter home at Kottayam in Kerala. Love for Malayalam, environment at Kottayam, and family issues are learnt to be the reasons behind his repeated escapades. After every attempt, the Child Welfare Committee of Kottayam handed over the child to his parents. However, not finding any change in his behaviour, the committee accommodated him at the government home in the city. “With help, the boy was admitted to a residential school at Kottayam,” said Naveen.