Rlys rescues 16K runaway minors in over 1 year

THE Railways has rescued more than 16,000 minors, including over 3,000 girls, who had run away from their homes over trivial issues or minor spats with their parents between 2024 and June 2025.

- RAJESH KUMAR THAKUR @ New Delhi

Under Operation 'Nanhe Faristey' in 2024, over 10,000 teenage boys and 3,000 teenage girls were rescued from trains and railway areas. This year, till June, 4,177 boys and 1,911 girls have been brought to safety after they fled their homes over trivial concerns.

A senior railway official told this newspaper that 69 kidnapped children were also rescued in 2024, with 20 more in 2025 till June. During formal interrogation before being handed over to the concerned local administration or their parents, it was found that most of them had run away after being reprimanded by their parents for not taking their studies seriously or for securing poor marks, or for other minor reasons.