Police drive to look for missing children will start from January 1

CBD BELAPUR: Several children who have gone missing may find help soon as the Navi Mumbai police will begin the second part of Operation Smile from January 1.

After the success of ‘Operation Smile 1’ in July, the police will again speed up the process of finding missing children.

Operation Smile 1 was a month-long central government initiative to find missing children and hand them over to parents and guardians.

According to police commissioner Prabhat Ranjan, “During the special drive, we will once again collect information on the children who have gone missing or run away from their house.” The police plan to take the help of the media too.

The drive is conducted throughout the country on the directives of the central government and the Supreme Court.

“We will take pictures and details of all children found at orphanages, with NGOs, at railway stations, bus terminals, begging on streets or at traffic signals, selling wares, rag-pickers or working at places of worship or other places,” said Ranjan.

He said, “They will all be considered as missing children and their photographs and details will be posted on the website www.trackthemissingchild. com.”

Ranjan said the children found during the operation will be presented before the child welfare committee with their complete details. Once the parents give proof that the child is theirs, the committee will hand the child over to them after following the prescribed norms.

The police commissionerate will hold a briefing session on the entire operation for its personnel on Thursday.

“They will be given details of the Acts concerning children, the process that have to be followed, the rights of the police and the steps they need to take on finding a child,” said Ranjan. “While our personnel will be on the field looking for missing children, we will also solicit the support of the media so that most children can be sent back home.”