VILLUPURAM: A 12-year-old boy, who was forced to beg, escaped from the clutches of his kidnappers and got into a moving train at Maduranthagam Railway Station in Kancheepuram.
He got down at Tindivanam Railway station, where he roamed aimlessly, inviting the attention from a railway police patrol squad.
Upon inquiry, the boy recounted the terrifying ordeal he had undergone and the squad handed him over to child helpline officals.
Little did Rohit think about the dangers hidden in the outside world when he decided to leave home after being scolded by his mother.
Rohit, a Class VII student at a government school, is the son of Rudhrammal, a widow, who resides in railway colony in Thanjavur.
His destination being Chennai, Rohit took a train at Thanjavur. As the train chugged forward, he came across a four-member gang, who began to collect his details.
It did not take much time for the gang, which is part of a begging mafia, to realise that Rohit was a runaway child. They threatened and made him get down at Maduranthagam, where he was forcefully inducted into the group of child beggars.
In the following days, Rohit would seek alms at the railway station under the strict surveillance of the gang. He was served targets to meet and the collected money went straight into the pockets of gang members.
On Saturday, as the gang members were a bit tied up with some activities, Rohit decided to make use of the opportunity and got into a moving train.
At Tindivanam station, Railway Police sub-inspector Suresh Kumar took the boy into their custody and alerted Rudhrammal, who had been searching for her son without any leads. Rohit was sent to a child care home in Villupuram.Villupuram railway police said that they were probing into the story narrated by the boy after registering a case.“We are seeking help from Chengalpet railway police as Madhuranthagam station comes under their limits,” they said.