Operation Smile-VI launched in Telangana

Director General of Police M Mahendar Reddy on Friday asked officials to identify the sources and middle level agents, who were trafficking and employing children.

He advised authorities to take firm action as per law against the agents after identifying them. Addressing officials after launchinng Operation Smile-VI, he said it should not be just a one-month exercise and said all officers should continue the initiative throughout the year.

As many as 188 officers including 21 Additional Superintendents of Police, six Deputy Superintendents of Police, 21 Inspectors, 113 Sub-Inspectors and other stakeholders attended the session, according to IG Law and Order and in-charge, Women Safety Wing, Swati Lakra.

Training on procedures to be followed in tracing missing children and conducting rescue operations for children involved in begging, children involved in hazardous industries and bonded labour was imparted. Apart from rescuing the children, training was given on steps to be taken to reunite the



children with their parents or family members. Various issues involved in conducting the operation, practical problems and how to tackle etc., were also discussed.

Coordination with other departments including Women and Child Welfare, Labour and Health Departments, Child Welfare Committee, Child Line and NGOs, along with the standard operation procedures to be followed using Facial Recognition Application (Darpan) to trace missing children, were also dealt with, she said.

Operation Smile will continue for a month in January and all the departments concerned will work in coordination to trace the missing children and relocate them. Efforts will be on throughout the year for ensuring that all the children were traced and rescued, Lakra said.

So far in five operations that were conducted since January 2015, more than 32,627 children were rescued and reunited with their families. Children from different States were also rescued and handed them over to their parents.