Dehradun: After 188 children were found after the month-long 'Operation Smile', Uttarakhand police plan to set up a "lost and found cell" dedicated to tracing missing children. Director general of police (DGP) BS Sidhu directed senior police officers to look into the possibility of creating such a cell.
The cell would be dedicated to tracing missing kids in the state and even conduct operations in other states if the need arises. Another key aim of the move is to have a centralized record of the missing children in the Himalayan state.
"When Operation Smile started on January 1, the number of missing children in the state was 774. However, the records had not been updated for many years," the DGP said. He pointed out that 188 children were found in one month. He said after the records were updated, the total number of missing minors in Uttarakhand was at 297.
Police officers say they are optimistic of finding more missing children in March. "Our teams will be visiting private and government shelter homes to find out the status of minors lodged there. Many missing children may be staying in these shelter homes," Sidhu added.
The police department, as a part of this project, also plans to crack down on gangs that push children into begging and child labour. An official, on grounds of anonymity, said the cell can play a key role in coordinating with the administration in all 13 districts of the state.
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