POLICE LAUNCH MUSKAAN 2 TO TRACE MISSING CHILDREN

MUMBAI: The Navi Mumbai police have launched ‘Operation Muskaan Maharashtra-2’ which will help reunite children who have been kidnapped, are missing, or left their homes. The city police had great success during last year’s drive which saw several children reunited with their families.

The month-long drive will involve posting pictures of children begging on roads or working in hotels on the website.

A similar drive named Operation Smile had been conducted in Uttar Pradesh two years ago, following which the drive was initiated in the state last year.

With the director general of police, Maharashtra, too deciding the take up the drive, a highlevel police meeting was held recently at which the operation was planned.

The main objective of the drive is to collect and analyse information about children who have gone missing, have eloped or were kidnapped since 2010 until date.

Deputy commissioner of police (crime) Dilip Sawant said, “We will be taking pictures of children at city orphanages, those with NGOs, or those found begging at railway stations, bus stops, traffic signals, religious places hospitals etc. We will also photograph those doing odd jobs, selling wares, rag pickers.”

“The photographs along with the details of the children will be posted on the website www.trackthemissingchild.com . The drive will be conducted from June 1 to 30,” added Sawant.

“If any of the children whose details are posted on the website are found, the issue will be forwarded to child welfare committee of the state government to verify the details following which the child will be handed over to the parents,” said Sawant.