GRP rescues 1,034 runaway kids under Project Muskaan

The Government Railway Police (GRP) has in the month of June rescued over 1,000 children from various railway stations in the city. This drive was the fourth installment of the Project Muskaan, a bid to find and rescue missing children.

In June, under Project Muskaan–4, the GRP officials rescued 1,034 children, of which 313 are girls and 721 boys, all minors who were found at stations after having run away from their homes.

The GRP, under the Project Muskaan, routinely looks out for such children and sends them to the children’s home till the whereabouts of their parents are determined.

Officials inform, many of these children run away from homes after a fight or due to pressure on them to perform in schools.

“We found two girls, aged 13 and 16 roaming around Wadala station. Since they seemed lost, our officials questioned them and found that they were sisters hailing from Uttar Pradesh and left home without informing anybody. They wanted to visit Mumbai and meet the filmstars,” the officer added.

These girls, were then sent to the Dongri children’s home and after their parents contacted, handed them over.

The data available indicates that out of the 1,034 children rescued in June, 946 children were reunited with their parents.

“Many of them don’t want to go back home since they get beaten up by their parents or experience a lot of fights. Hence they lie about their details and it becomes difficult to find them,” she said.

In January this year, which saw the Project Muskaan–1 being launched, a total of 2093 children were rescued.

This number had reduced to 1559 in April where 1106 boys and 453 girls were rescued.