The children, in the 8-14 years age group, had either run away, were trafficked or strayed.
Most of the rescued children are locals, said officials. Representation pic
As part of the ‘Operation Nanhe Farishte’, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) of Western Railway has rescued 487 children in the past seven months and reunited them with their families, with the highest in Mumbai, at 181. The frontline railway employees were also part of the rescues, which were carried out with the help of NGOs like CHILDLINE India Foundation, sources said. The children, in the 8-14 years age group, had either run away, were trafficked or strayed.
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Most of the rescued children are locals, said officials. Personnel working under ‘Operation Nanhe Farishte’ are trained to connect with such children, understand their problems and counsel them to reunite them with their parents. “Parents express their deep gratitude for this noble service by the railways,” said Praveen Chandra Sinha, Inspector General and principal chief security commissioner, RPF Western Railway. Last year, from January to December, RPF Western Railway rescued 597 children, including 385 boys and 212 girls.