Tribal boy reunites with family after 3 yrs

Eluru: A boy reunited with his mother after three years with the efforts of the District Child Protection Unit, Police, ICDS, Child Welfare Committee staff of Howrah (West Bengal) and Eluru districts.

The 12-year-old boy from Buttaigudem mandal of Eluru district left home in 2021. Even though the son left the house, the mother did not complain to anyone. If anyone asked, she said that he had gone to his relative’s house. However, the boy, who left his home, appeared at the Howrah railway station.

Seeing the boy alone and suspicious, the police personnel of the railway department admitted the boy to the local child care organisation ‘ITINDA Community Development Society’ in Howrah.

Later, while the DCPU and CWC officials in Howrah were entering the details in the ‘Ghar’ portal, a team of Howrah officials, who initially identified the boy belongs to Eluru district of Andhra Pradesh.

It contacted Eluru district child welfare officer Surya Chakraveni on the phone and arranged a video call to know the boy’s details. The Eluru DCPO who spoke to the boy and asked him to recall some details like his parents’ names and village, and the boy said that he belongs to the Koya tribal group under KR Puram.

With this, on the orders of Eluru district collector K Vetri Selvi, under the supervision of District ICDS Project Director K Padmavathi and DCPO Surya Chakraveni, an investigation was conducted in several villages including several tribal hostels in coordination with the staff of ICDS and CDPOs in Eluru district with the photograph of the boy.

Finally, the boy’s mother was found in Buttaigudem. Later, the staff reached Buttaigudem and arranged a group video call with the boy’s mother and son. After identifying the boy’s mother, the Howrah police officials asked them to submit the necessary documents to send the boy to Eluru district and send the relevant details.

With that, the Howrah Child Care Committee issued an order allowing the boy to be sent to Eluru district. In this context, the staff brought the boy to Eluru by train under the supervision of the concerned authorities on Monday morning, July 8th and presented him before the District Child Welfare Committee here.

Later, on Tuesday morning, the boy was handed over to his mother safely in the presence of district collector K Vetri Selvi. The Collector directed the officials to follow up from time to time and teach any vocational course to the boy. The mother was very happy as her son, who had been away for a long time, was reunited with her due to the efforts of the authorities.

ICDS PD K Padmavathy, DCPO CH Surya Chakraveni, Buttaigudem ICDS Supervisor Jhansi, DCPU Protection Officer Srikanth and others were present.