Runaway kids to Chandigarh double in 2018: RPF

CHANDIGARH: City beautiful, it seems, is a big magnet for children running away from home. The number of children rescued from the city railway station doubled in 2018 as compared with 2017. Interestingly, more boys than girls landed at Chandigarh railway station, in a bid to run away from home.

According to the records of the railway protection force (RPF) in 2018, 54 children were rescued from the station, out of which 42 were boys and 12 were girls. In 2017, it was 28, out of which 16 were boys and 12 were girls.

RPF, which jointly rescue children with the Childline India Foundation, stated that the majority of the cases which they come across face stepmotherly treatment at homes as well as educational pressure by their parents. Some run away the abuse of alcoholic father.

The case which is still fresh in the minds of RPF staff was that of three adolescents who wanted to make it to Bollywood. In 2018, the three, aged 14, 15 and 16, landed in Chandigarh from Ropar. Unfortunately for them, they were heard discussing their plan to go to Mumbai by the staff of the RPF. They were caught and returned to their parents.

RPF SHO, Rajesh Rana, said that special instructions were given to the staff to keep a close watch on the children at station.

Col Ravi Bedi, director of Childline India Foundation, said that they have set up their branch at railway station last year and 12 counsellors work round the clock. According to him, earlier girls hardly ran away from home, but now it is increasing with the increase in exposure and education. He said that usually the children, after counselling, agree to go back to their parents. But there were cases when they denied to do so. He said that in that case they have to coordinate with the child welfare committee so that they can be accommodated in the child care centre.