Gurgaon police form 24 teams to trace missing children

Sumedha Sharma

Tribune News Service

Gurgaon, July 2

To make Operation Muskan a success, the Gurgaon police have formed 24 teams to reunite nearly 50 untraced children with their families this month.

These children are among 250 reported missing since January 2014. According to records, 223 children were reported missing last year out of which 190 were found. This year, 52 children have been found out of 67 reported missing.

During the month-long Operation Muskan that started from July 1, the teams will inspect shelter homes, railway stations, bus stands, and temples and malls where children beg.

“A database of photographs and videos will be created uploaded on the website of the Union Ministry of Child Welfare and Development,” said Police Commissioner Navdeep Singh Virk.

He further said the cases of missing children would be highlighted with the help of the media. “If a child less than 14 years is found working anywhere, the employer will be booked under the child labour laws.”

List of children to be prepared

Kurukshetra: The police today launched Operation Muskan to bring back smiles on the faces of lost children by reuniting them with their families.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Simardeep Singh said: “The district Social Welfare Department, state crime branch and district Child Welfare Society will make the operation a success. In all, six teams have been constituted for the operation and Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Noopur Bishnoi has been appointed the nodal officer.”

An officer of the sub-inspector rank will be the in-charge of each team. Members of the district Child Welfare Society, NGO Nehru Yuva Kendra and crime branch have been included in the teams.

The teams, the SP said, will first visit all shelter homes, railway stations, children’s home, bus stands, footpaths, religious places and other public places. — TNS