BHUBANESWAR:As many as 49 minors including 23 girls were rescued by Odisha Police from Andhra Pradesh in a special operation under Paree-II campaign.A team led by Inspector TK Majhi and other police officers along with a district child protection officer were sent to AP for rescuing the minors.
The police informed that the majority of those rescued were staying in shelter homes. Police had formed eight teams comprising its officers and those of Women and Child Development (WCD) department to rescue missing children from AP, New Delhi and NCR, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Maharashtra. The first team arrived here from AP on Wednesday evening and was welcomed by Odisha DGP Dr RP Sharma, Crime Branch ADG Santosh Upadhyaya, Crime Branch IG Arun Bothra, Crime Branch SP Madkar Sandeep Sampat and WCD Department joint secretary (child welfare) Rega Geetarani Patnaik.
The first phase of Paree-II campaign was held between September 1 and 15 and focused on rescuing children within the State while the second phase that started from September 16 focused on rescuing children from other States. “In the first phase of Paree-II campaign which was conducted within the State, around 2,189 children including 363 girls were rescued. In the second phase, 49 children have been rescued from AP,” the DGP said, adding the police are probing why the majority of the rescued children were staying in shelter homes and how many of them were engaged as child labourers. The DGP said stern action will be taken if it is found that the children were sold by their parents.
The police said till September 25, as many as 2,281 children including 400 girls have been rescued under both phases of Paree II campaign. “We will try to trace the rescued children’s parents and contact them,” said Rega Geetarani Patnaik, Jint Secretary, WCD department. Earlier, Odisha Police had rescued 8,115 minors between 2015 and 2017 under special operations - Smile and Muskaan - on the directions of Union Home Ministry.
