Special squad to spot unclaimed kids

VADODARA: The Railway Protection Force (RPF) of Vadodara division has decided to form a special squad to identify children on railway platforms or trains, who have got left behind or been deserted by their families. While concerted drives were conducted in the past to locate missing children, this is the first effort of its kind in the city to spot such children.
The RPF decided to form the squad as there were frequent cases of children being spotted in areas under its jurisdiction.A week ago, three children who had left a seminary were spotted in Vadodara. They were sent back after their parents and functionaries of the seminary were called.
Senior divisional security commandant of Vadodara railway division Kamaljot Brar said the squad shall comprised one inspector, one sub-inspector, two assistant sub-inspectors and three constables. "They will keep an eye on platforms and check trains for such children. If they find that a child has nobody accompanying him, they will speak to him," she said.
Brar said most unclaimed children were between the ages of nine and 14 years. In most cases, they leave home after some tiff. Inability to cope up with studies or high expectations from parents from their wards is also often a reason. In one such case a boy from Uttar Pradesh had reached the city last month. He was united with his family by RPF. Officials said the child was from an affluent family and his maternal uncle flew down to the city to take him back.
Brar said the RPF personnel also keep an eye on platforms through CCTV surveillance and besides looking for suspicious persons or objects, they also spot such children. "The jawan on duty near the spot where the child is spotted is called up and asked to reach out to the child," she added.