Vijayawada: Cops rescue 92 kids under 6 years of age

Vijayawada: The seven-day Operation Muskan conducted by police under the limits of the Vijayawada commissionerate and Krishna district police ended on Monday. City police identified 148 children under the limits of the commissionerate and district police traced 407 children in seven days. Altogether, the police have identified 555 children across the district and conducted Covid-19 tests. Unfortunately, 92 children noticed by the police were below the age of six years.

Operation Muskan has revealed the pathetic condition of children. Many children were noticed living in pitiful condition. A total of 92 children noticed by police are below the age of six years. A total of 129 children traced by the police were in the age group of 6 to 10 years and 186 children are between the age group of 10 and 14. This indicates how children were neglected by parents and society. The case is similar under the limits of the Vijayawada commissionerate. Poverty, socio and economic problems are said to be main reasons for the plight of children.

City police conducted searches at the Railway station, bus station, workplaces, hotels, restaurants and commercial areas. On the instructions of the DGP D Gautam Sawang and under the supervision of the commissioner of Vijayawada B Srinivasulu, the police conducted Operation Muskan. Of the total 148 children identified, 143 are boys and five are girls.

Women police station ACP VV Naidu monitored Operation Muskan in the commissionerate limits. Police in five divisions of the city participated in the programme. On the last day, eight children were traced in the city.

In other parts of Krishna district, the police identified 407 children and conducted the Covid-19 tests. Under the supervision of the superintendent of police M Ravindranath Babu, the district police in coordination with women and child welfare, labour, education and other departments conducted Operation Muskan. The police distributed Corona kits to the children. The kits contain masks, gloves, vitamin C tablets, sanitisers etc and explained the children about the Coronavirus and its implications.

The district police identified 146 street children, neglected children and child labour, who were working in hotels, restaurants, bakeries, small shops etc.