The Chittoor and Tirupati urban police with the help of Child Welfare Committees(CWC) and NGOs have rescued as many as 390 children under 'operation muskaan'. They conducted special raids at RTC bus station, railway station, hotels and factories across the district on Wednesday.
Following the orders from the Andhra Pradesh DGP D Gautam Sawang, Tirupati Superintendent of Police (SP) Ch Venkata Appala Naidu constituted 39 special rescue teams and conducted raids from 6 am on Wednesday. The police personnel along with CWC department, District Child Protection Officer (DCPO), Child Development Project Officer, and Child line carried out the raids by adhering to the COVID-19 norms at all important junctions, crowded places and rescued 390 destitute children.
Of the total 390 children, Chittoor police have rescued 338 and Tirupati police have rescued 52 children. Among the 338 children rescued by the Chittoor police, 315 are boys and 23 are girls. Chittoor SP S Senthil Kumar said COVID-19 tests will be conducted for the children and the children tested positive will be sent to hospitals and those children who have tested negative will be handed over to child welfare committees.
He later interacted with 42 rescued kids and distributed fruits, chocolates and COVID-19 essentials to them. The Tirupati police have handed over 52 rescued children to their parents after counseling them at a programme held here at the police parade grounds. Speaking on the occasion, Venkata Appala Naidu said the motive behind conducting operation muskaan also called operation smile is to eliminate child labour and child trafficking. He warned strict action against factory owners for hiring children and making them work. He said the police department is ready to rehabilitate and take care of the orphan kids. He said special drives will be conducted at all the factories to rescue children from the clutches of the owners to ensure bright future for them.
