“We rescued two siblings, who wanted to study, but dropped out and started working to meet ends. I adopted them and admitted in a shelter home,” said Krishna district Superintendent of Police (SP) M. Ravindranath Babu.
The police teams came across pathetic stories of the children who were suffering at public places, pavements and some working in shops and other establishments. A few children were found to be suffering from various diseases, the SP said.
As part of ‘Operation Muskaan’ taken up in the State from July 14 to 20, more than 4,800 children were rescued and admitted in about 103 orphan children in shelter homes (CCIs), said the CID Police, who undertook the drive along with Labour, Women Development and Child Welfare (WD&CW), CWCs, Revenue and other department personnel.
“In all 4,806 children — 4,075 boys and 731 girls — were rescued during ‘Operation Muskaan’, of which 4,703 were restored to their families. We also rescued 72 children belonging to other States,” said CID SP K.G.V. Saritha, who monitored the week-long drive.
Corona tests were conducted for 1,121 children, who were suffering with cold, cough and fever, of which three tested positive, Ms. Saritha said.
‘Stop child labour’
West Godavari district Additional SP (AR) Mahesh Kumar appealed to the parents to admit their children in schools
Speaking at the ‘Operation Muskaan’ COVID-19 closure programme jointly organised by Police, WD&CW, Child Rights Advocation Foundation (CRAF), at Eluru on Monday, the ASP appreciated all the officers and staff who participated in the drive during the pandemic.
CRAF programme director P. Francis Thambi, who distributed sanitiser and medical kits to children, thanked the police for conducting COVID tests for the rescued children.
DSPs O. Dileep Kiran, G.V. Paideswara Rao, Krishnam Raju and Harshita and District Child Protection Officer Ch. Surya Chakraveni were among those who participated.
