219 missing kids found in Operation Smile

NOIDA: Police have rescued 219 missing children in the second phase of Operation Smile in July.
Dharmendra Singh, SSP Gautam Budh Nagar, said that 22 teams were made to rescue children. Each team constituted of one sub-inspector and two constables.
The teams visited 20 districts of UP and eight other states including Delhi, Rajasthan, Haryana, Maharashtra, etc.“A total of 219 children - 179 boys and 40 girls – were rescued in the one month long drive,” Singh said.
Shakti Vahini, a women and child rights NGO, organized a programme on the eve of World Day Against Trafficking in Persons on July 30, and felicitated police personnel who rescued the missing children.
Ravi Kant President ,Shakti Vahini, said that the police have brought smiles to several families. “The police officials have done a commendable job by rescuing so many missing children in one month,” he said.
The SSP directed the police officials to conduct a verification drive of all placement agencies in the city to ensure that no children are engaged in work. “We come to know that some placement agencies send children to household works or engage as bounded labours. We will conduct drive and initiate stringent action if we find someone involved in such illegal work,” he said.
Rajni Bishnoi, assistant sub-inspector with Noida police, was also felicitated for being a part of the team who rescued six children from different places. “Each case had an emotional story of separation of children from their parents. I am happy that I was a part of the team which reunited the children with their families,” she said. The police have however not found four year old Kashish who went missing in May from Sector 22. Police said a search is on to trace the missing child.