In a heartening case of diligent child protection work, the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) in Vadodara successfully reunited a 15-year-old boy from Assam with his family, concluding a saga that began with the child's disappearance from a religious residential school.
From Railway Station to Protection Home
The boy's journey into the care of authorities started on November 17, when he was found alone at the Vadodara railway station. Officials from the Railway Protection Force spotted the minor and brought him before the CWC. Initially, the teenager presented a story of economic migration, claiming he belonged to a poor family in Assam and had travelled to Surat in search of work. Based on this narrative, the committee placed him in a child protection home in the city for his safety and care.
Unraveling the Truth Through Counselling
During subsequent counselling sessions, the boy's account began to show inconsistencies. While he insisted he had been working in Gujarat, he could not specify the city. He later changed his story, saying he had been in Surat with a friend but got separated. Observant counsellors noted that the boy exhibited no signs of missing his home, seemed comfortable at the protection facility, and even expressed a wish to continue his studies. These observations raised suspicions that he was withholding crucial information.
The breakthrough came on December 8, when the boy finally disclosed his parents' address in Assam. The CWC officials immediately coordinated with local police in his home state. The family was successfully traced on December 16, nearly a full month after the boy was first found at the station.
Family Reunion and a Child's Choice
Interactions with the parents revealed the true sequence of events. The boy had been sent to a religious residential school located in Gujarat's Bharuch district. Unhappy and unwilling to stay there, he had run away from the institution and eventually made his way to Vadodara.
The parents, accompanied by a cleric from the school, arrived before the CWC. They expressed their intention to send the boy back to the religious school. However, in a firm stance protecting the child's agency, the teenager refused to return to the institution. The CWC supported his position, informing the parents and the cleric that the child could not be compelled to go back against his will.
Respecting the child's wishes and the committee's guidance, the parents ultimately decided to take their son back to their family home in Assam. To ensure ongoing support, the CWC provided the boy with contact numbers for future assistance, ensuring a safety net remained in place even after the reunion.
