As passengers return to railway stations, so do runaway children
New Delhi: As railway services resumed after the COVID-19 lockdown, runaway children have returned to railway stations here, with Railway Protection Force (RPF) data showing that over 90 such children were rescued after the resumption of services till October.
The data showed that over 640 children were rescued from railway premises here this year so far. Officials said that there were various reasons for children leaving their homes. While some of these children run away from abuse, others run away to find a better future for themselves and their families by getting a job.
On November 11, three children were rescued from the New Delhi railway station. Two of them have come from Bihar and one from Uttar Pradesh. The trio claimed that due to the poor financial condition of their homes, they came to the city in search of work but they did not get anything. "I slept a whole night at the station because I did not have any money. Later I was rescued. I want to go home," the 16-year-old boy from Bihar said.
He further said," My parents are farmers but they are not earning well and my brother will be married in a few months for which I have to earn money." All three boys claimed that they have informed their family members.
On the other hand, people who were involved in their rescue come up with a different theory. "We have seen that children who were rescued in the past hesitate to
tell us the reasons behind leaving their home. Later after counselling and trust-building, they tell us the truth," a rescuer said.
The RPF data revealed that from January to March this year about 551 children were rescued from various railway stations in which 209 were reunited with their parents whereas 339 were handed over to NGOs and four to Government Railway Police (GRP). After resumption, more than 90 children were rescued till October in which 47 were handed over to parents, over 30 kids were handed to NGOs whereas 14 to GRP.
Security Commissioner (RPF) Harish Papola said that they keep a vigil on the movement of passengers, closely monitor CCTV cameras to see any suspicious movement. "Also we keep a tab on a group of children who are going along with a man or woman. All possible steps are taken to avert human trafficking," he said. They also keep an eye on vulnerable trains that come from states with the most incidents of trafficking and children running away.
RPF officials claimed that during counselling
they come to know that there were various reasons why they left their homes. "They were scolded by step-parents,
some came to the National Capital in search of work," the official said.
The Delhi Commission of Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) chairperson Anurag Kundu said, "If children from other states are rescued or found in Delhi, there can be different reasons, either these kids were trafficked or manipulated or lured by some person." He further said, "No child runs away from a happy place, there are various reasons which need to be checked."
