Berhampur: In a successful week-long operation, Ganjam police rescued 28 missing children and reunited them with their families. Among the rescued children were 26 girls and two boys, aged between 12 and 17 years.
Superintendent of police (Ganjam) Suvendhu Kumar Patra told reporters on Tuesday that the special drive, launched on April 15, covered the entire Ganjam police district. “We traced these children from various locations within and outside the state,” said Patra.
Bhanjanagar police led the rescue efforts with five girls, while Purushottampur and Buguda police stations each rescued four children. Some of the minors had been missing for over a year. “Using mobile tracking technology, we located one girl in Hyderabad, who had been missing since August last year,” said Jeevananada Jena, IIC of Bhanjanagar police station.
According to police officials, the cases involved runaways, kidnappings by lovers, and children who left home seeking employment. Before reunification, all rescued children underwent counselling to understand the reasons behind their disappearance. “We’re overjoyed to have our daughter back after eight months,” said an emotional parent from Bhanjanagar, whose daughter was rescued from another state.
The initial success has prompted authorities to extend the special drive. “We will continue our efforts to locate other missing children in the district,” Patra said. The operation highlights the growing concern over missing children in the region and demonstrates the effectiveness of co-ordinated police action in addressing this issue.