Operation Smile

In the last one year, the Cyberabad Police rescued as many as 581 children in Telangana as part of ‘Operation Smile’. As part of this operation, the Cyberabad Police formed teams on June 18 last year to rescue vulnerable children from the streets and from child labour.

These teams basically search for children who are found rag picking, begging etc. in public places. According to officials, three Smile teams worked in three zones of the Cyberabad Commissionerate.

“The aim of these teams is to prevent child trafficking and rescue children from persons who engage them in begging, sex trade and other anti-social activities, apart from tracing missing children,” Telangana Today quoted the police as saying.

213 of the 580 children were girls, and most of them were handed over to their parents and shelter homes.

Operation Mukti Abhiyan

As part of another campaign called ‘Operation Mukti Abhiyan’, 67 children, who were into beggary, have been admitted to government schools.

The first phase of the campaign focused primarily on Dehradun district, which started on May 1. The campaign is ongoing in Haridwar, Nainital, and Udham Singh Nagar districts of Uttarakhand.

With the motto of ‘Bhiksha Nahi, Shiksha’, the campaign motivates children and their families to choose education over begging. They are also trying to improve the financial condition of the parents.

“This operation is being undertaken under the leadership of DGP Anil Raturi. We are focussing on children who should be studying but are conditioned to indulge in such activities. We have four teams, which is led by one Sub-Inspector,” Times Now quoted Shekhar Suyal, Nodal Officer of the operation, as saying.

Police identified 292 children who were begging in the district in the first phase, and in the second phase, they visited them in an attempt to persuade them to go to school.

“Since the schools are closed for summer vacations, these children again started wandering on the streets, which can undo all our efforts. So, we have started teaching these children with the help of NGOs at four different temporary settlements,” said Rakesh Bhatt, Uttarakhand Police officer and a member of the operation.

Also Read: Nine Children Working As Bonded Labourers In Meat Processing Units In Delhi Rescued