Hyderabad: Rachakonda police commisioner Mahesh Bhagwat on Thursday released do’s and don’t on missing children cases, after the police traced a 15-year-old boy by tracking his whereabouts on Facebook .
The boy from Osmanabad district who was forced to join IIT coaching in Hyderabad went missing and was found in Goa after four months.
He wanted to become a pilot but they forced him undergo IIT entrance coaching. Police said he travelled to Bengaluru, withdrew money from an ATM, and landed in Goa where he was working in a hotel. With the help of Karnataka police, the Telangana state police caught him after four months.
Mr Bhagwat said that in case a child goes missing, the parent must immediately report the matter to the nearest police station and disclose all details. The police would be able to determine the child’s motive.
Parents could use the Childline 1098 or the website Khoya Paya. Parents should immediately disclose the information to friends and relatives.
If they receive any phone calls for ransom or extortion, they must share it with the police without any hesitation. Parents should not make any online payment to anyone regarding missing children without intimating the police.
Parents should inform the police if the child had desires which were not fulfilled. Recent chats on social media or SMS would definitely help the police to track the whereabouts of the child, he said.
Instead of critising or scolding the child, he or she should be taken to psycho social trauma counselling through professional counsellor. Parents have to understand children and have a close dialogue in case they have emotional issues.
