Nagpur: Railway Protection Force (RPF) in Central Railway’s Nagpur Division during the year 2022 rescued about 156 children. The strong vigil maintained at stations ensured that jawans spotted the runaway children well in time. At times they also came to the rescue of those children who were abducted from other parts of the country, media reports said.
Most of the runaway children were noticed at Nagpur Railway Station as it is a major junction in Nagpur Division.About 160 trains criss-cross Nagpur and many a time, under age children board the first available train at their home station to escape into wilderness. Sometimes the co-passengers alert the train crew who pass on the information to RPF which then steps into picture. At times, RPF gets information from their counterparts in other States and accordingly they maintain vigil on trains and rescue the children fleeing home.
In the majority of cases, teenage children run away after being scolded by elderly persons in the family or parents. However at times, some under age children had also escaped from their home bitten by love bugs. The RPF unit at Nagpur Station and other units have tied-up with ChildLine and the rescued children are counselled wherein they reveal the reason for running away from homes. The children are under protective custody of ChildLine till arrival of their parents to whom their custody is handed over by RPF after following the due procedure.
Sometimes theRPF spots children in the wilderness at stations and their appearance blows their cover and timely intervention prevents spoiling their future. From the 156 children, about 50 were boys who had run away from home and 42 were girls. Only one case of child trafficking came to light during the year gone by when RPF rescued it. However, 3 boys and 10 girls were rescued from the clutches of their abductors by the RPF.
Similarly in the year 2022, six cases of children abandoned by their parents were also found at stations and three of them were girls and three were boys. Also six boys and seven girls who were loitering in the railway station area were also rescued. RPF has appealed to passengers to inform them on HelpLine No. 139 (Rail Madad) in case they see any children in trouble or finding them alone or their behaviour appears suspicious.