Trauma over, trafficked kids head back home

Chennai, February 16 : The 76 Manipuri and Assamese children, rescued from Bethesda Blessing Home in Kanyakumari district on January 23, began their journey home from Tirunelveli yesterday evening even as the girls belonging to Manipur and Assam taken to Bangalore have been reportedly located by the Tamil Nadu police.

After producing them before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), Tirunelveli, the 52 Manipuri and 24 Assamese children were handed over to Saranaalayam Reception Home attached to the Child Welfare Committee in Tirunelveli.

The children have been staying at Saranaalayam for the last three weeks.

As per the schedule, the children were to leave by Ananthapuri Express from Tirunelveli but due to some trouble in connecting a separate coach from Tirunelveli, the children went by two buses to Madurai.

Speaking from Madurai, the Saranaalayam director, Father S Joseph Johnson, said that the children would reach Chennai on Monday morning and would board the Guwahati Express from Chennai Egmore station on Monday night and would reach Guwahati on Thursday evening.

After handing over the Assamese children to that State CWC, the Manipur CWC team would take the Manipuri children to their home State.

A police team from Tirunelveli, headed by sub inspector Abraham and a Assam CID police team led by Inspector P Bordoloi escorted the children.

Two Saranaalayam workers and social defence staff accompanied the children.

Meanwhile, according to sources, the girls belonging to Manipur and Assam taken Paul to Bangalore have been located by the Tamil Nadu police.

The Manipuri and Assamese children at Saranaalayam told Manipur Child Welfare Committee member K Maharabi Singh that more than 16 girls were taken by Paul to Bangalore, the sources said.

Subsequently, a special Tamil Nadu police team located the place in Bangalore and identified around 23 children.

They have approached the State Child Welfare Committee to rescue the girls.