Haryana boy reunited with family after 2 years

LUCKNOW: Missing for the last about two years from Haryana, 11-year-old Nitin was reunited with his family, in Lucknow, on Tuesday.

The boy went missing from Panipat in Haryana and reached Lucknow shelter home after a Delhi childcare institution referred him to Uttar Pradesh last year.

Efforts of Haryana police’s anti-human trafficking unit bore fruit when some stranger texted them about the location of the child.

Assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Rajesh Kumar of Haryana police said the boy went missing from Panipat. He accidentally boarded a train and reached New Delhi. He was sent to a childcare institution (CCI) in the national capital, Kumar said.

“I don’t know why he was sent to Barabanki (UP) from Delhi and he stayed there for almost a year,” said Kumar, wadding, “From Barabanki, the boy was sent to Lucknow’s shelter home in January this year.”

A government official said the child did not remember his address and was just giving unclear details. “It was hard to trace his home as he could barely share anything,” he added.

The official however said, “The boy could only tell that he is from Haryana.”

Kumar, who has a track record of intercepting missing children, used his network. “I shared his pictures everywhere. On WhatsApp, one person gave some details about his location. We showed the child’s picture to his mother, who confirmed that it was him,” Kumar added.

Child Welfare Committee (CWC) member Sangeeta Sharma said, “The boy was brought from Barabanki to Lucknow. Today he has been handed over to his mother.”

Kumar said, “There is one more boy from Ludhiana lodged in the same shelter home. I have informed the Ludhiana police and they will take him back soon.”