VIJAYAWADA: Police rescued 4,147 children, including child labourers and runaway children, across the State as part of Operation Muskaan on Wednesday. Covid precautionary measures were taken during the drive and the rescued children were tested for coronavirus before they were sent to child care centres or reunited with their family members.
Over 500 police teams were formed across 13 districts. They conducted searches at hotels, dhabas, brick kilns etc. Most of these children were found taking shelter in railway and bus stations. Some were found begging for alms in the streets. Of the 4,147 rescued children, 3,503 are boys and 644 are girls. Director General of Police D Gautam Sawang, in a statement, said the campaign is a first-of-its-kind in the country and it aims at protecting street children from getting affected by coronavirus. Crime Investigation Department (CID) and other line departments played a crucial role in identifying the abandoned children and reuniting them with their family members.
As many as 739 kids were rescued in Prakasam district, followed by 640 in Kurnool district and 417 in Anantapur district. Police also rescued 246 children in Krishna district and 60 kids in Vijayawada city. “All the bus stands, railway stations, hotels, mechanic shops and other places were thoroughly checked to rescue the children. The orphaned children will be provided shelter at child care centres. Kids were also tested for Covid-19 and treatment will be given to them based on their test results,” Gautam Sawang said, adding that the kids will be handed over to their parents after counselling.
Speaking to the media, Prakasam district SP Siddharth Kaushal said many school-going children were found working in hotels, restaurants, tiffin stalls and dhabas and sleeping on roadside due to lack of proper parental care. He said police teams conducted searches at railway stations, bus stands, brick kilns and industrial areas and rescued the children. Operation Muskaan will be continued on Thursday too, he said, adding that the police are working in coordination with NGOs to rescue the child labourers.