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Runaway children encounter love in city
By a Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, April 26: It was early morning, Tuesday. Two teenaged boys, dishevelled in their appearance, made a timid entry into the office of Snehalaya situated at the Don Bosco church in the city. They were escorted by some staff members of Snehalaya.
Mohar Ali (12) and Rajan Dev (13) had alighted from a train at the Guwahati railway station and were roaming about aimlessly wearing the "we're lost" look all over their faces. They were noticed by the members of Snehalaya manning the Children's Assistance booth on platform no 1, which was formally inaugurated on April 20 last.
As soon as the boys entered, Father Lukose, the Snehalaya director, got busy with the boys. He said, "Our objective in setting up the booth at the platform is to befriend the vagrant kids who arrive at the station, give them guidance and arrange for their rehabilitation or safe return home."
In today's dog-eat-dog world many boys and girls leave their loveless homes and arrive in this mean city to tap their luck, find work or even loiter about and beg for a living. Nothing would be far from the truth if it is said that these children are at risk of encountering negative experiences of all kind at the station itself.
"Our effort is to help these unfortunate children before they pick up evil habits like stealing, drug abuse etc," said a concerned Father Lukose.
While talking to the bare-feet Mohar it was found out that he hailed from Bongaigaon and had left home to be with his brother who was a rickshaw-puller and stayed somewhere near the Reserve Bank in the city.
Rajan Dev from Nalbari is a Class VII student. Poverty, it seemed, was the culprit that pushed him toward an unknown destiny. Snehalaya was on its toes immediately. It started a search for Mohar's brother. Mohar and Rajan, accompanied by staff members Suhail Khan and Amrit Lakra, hit the road but the hours-long search did not yield any result.
Back again in the Father's office, the staffers tried to gain more information from them. Several hours had gone by in the effort to help out the beleaguered children.
"Since the opening day of the booth, we have helped 12 such children. We managed to send back a few to their homes," informed Father Lukose.
On April 23, Shankar Goala, an 8-year-old and Sriram Goala, aged 10 years, were sent back home at Dikom, Dibrugarh, under the safe custody of Snehalaya staff members. They had been hanging around the railway station since April 11.
"The procedure is expensive, taking the child back to their parents; but it is effective," stated Father Lukose.
The day had begun on a happy note for the Father as 13-year-old Deepjyoti Nath had started his homeward journey to Morigaon in the early hours. He had arrived at the station by Brahmaputra mail on April 23 last.
But there are still others like Deepak Gorh and Mousumi Das, who are lodged in different shelter homes of Snehalaya. Their return journey home is uncertain as the addresses that they have provided are not complete.
Networking with the railway authorities, the GRP and the RPF, Snehalaya is trying to assist the vagabond children and transform their lives.
"We are co-operating with Snehalaya. They have set the precedence in rectification of the forgotten children. When we pick up any child, we take him to the booth," said MM Nath, inspector, railway police, while talking to The Sentinel.
Mohar and Rajan are no longer alone in this strange city. The doors of Snehalaya readily opened for them. With Father Lukose's directions the duo were admitted to the Don Bosco Shelter Home situated between Fancy bazar and Pan bazar.
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