Mumbai: Over 10,000 children in the age
group of 10 to 15 years, who came here in the past six years
after running away from their homes for various reasons, have
been found taking shelter in the premises of the city railway
stations, police said on monday.
Out of 10,181 minor children, the Government Railway
Police has reunited 9,056 children with their parents while
1,125 children have been sent to the reform centres in the
city, they said.
Citing the statistics, police said 6,508 boys and 3,676
girls were found at the railway stations premises in the past
six years.
Among those reunited, 493 children are from various
states and countries such as Bangladesh and Nepal and the rest
are from Maharashtra.
"The reasons for the children to come to Mumbai are
varied. Some are attracted towards the city, Bollywood or
(come) here to earn money while others come to Mumbai to get
rid of the abusive family members, frequent quarrelling of
parents and poverty," GRP Commissioner Prabhat Kumar said.
"Our men did their best to reunite them with their
parents. The children whose parents could not be found yet
have been sent to reform centres so that they do not get
addicted to alcohol, drugs, tobacco and other bad habits," he
added.
PTI
