Childline Thiruvananthapuram has launched efforts to trace the parents of three boys from Bihar who were transferred to it by the police on Wednesday.
The Valiyathura police had found the boys, two of them are siblings, roaming around at Shangumugham selling cheap toys to visitors. Childline gave their names as Sunil, 12, and Dilshad Ali, 14, and his brother Sayid Ali, who is a year younger to him.
‘’The boys told the police and us that one person whom they refer to as ‘Chacha’ had brought them to Thiruvananthapuram for work a month ago. They had been staying at Beemapalli all along,’’ Fr Thomas P D, director, Childline, said. ‘’The police had found them selling flutes for Rs 10. According to the boys, they were given Rs 5 out of every sale,’’ Thomas said, adding that Childline has launched efforts to trace the children’s parents in Bihar.
Dilshad and Sayid have provided Childline officials with their mother’s telephone number. The officials are also waiting for the person identified as ‘Chacha’ to claim the children.
The three boys from Bihar are only the latest in a series of youngsters from other states who pass through the rescue homes of Childline every year. On an average, 325 children are offered shelter in Childline homes every year, majority of them hailing from other states, Fr Thomas said.