Vadodara: A 13-year-old boy from Maharashtra who had run away from home and was later found at a railway station in Vadodara was reunited with his family after 48 days, following sustained counselling and coordinated efforts by the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), Vadodara, and Maharashtra police.
The Reunion
Rehman Ramzan Ali Shah was recently handed over to his father at the CWC office in Vadodara after authorities successfully traced his family in Maharashtra, bringing to an end nearly two months of counselling, investigation and inter-state coordination.
Rescue and Initial Care
The boy was admitted to a child care institution on April 24 after being rescued by Childline and the Railway Police. Acting on the directions of CWC chairman Mehul Lakhani, authorities placed him under the care of Samaj Suraksha Sankul, run by Deepak Foundation in Vadodara.
Challenges in Tracing Family
Officials said tracing the boy’s family proved challenging as he initially provided inconsistent and misleading information about his identity and whereabouts. Over the following weeks, counsellor Sandhya Sapkal conducted regular counselling sessions to build trust and gradually piece together details about his background.
Breakthrough
A breakthrough came on May 9 when Rehman disclosed that his maternal uncle lived in Mumbra near Mumbai and that his parents were residents of Jalgaon district in Maharashtra. Acting on the information, CWC officials contacted Mumbra police and shared the child’s details.
On May 30, Mumbra Police informed the CWC that local residents had identified the boy’s uncle after being shown his photograph. The lead enabled authorities to trace the family and establish contact with the parents.
Role of Police
Officials credited police sub-inspector Anil Shinde and the Maharashtra police team for their prompt assistance in locating the family.
Reunion and Counselling
After being informed about the development, the boy’s father travelled to Vadodara to take custody of his son. Before the reunion, counselling sessions were conducted for both father and son by Mehul Lakhani, CWC member Monika Yagnik and counsellor Sandhya Sapkal to facilitate a smooth transition.
Authorities also advised the family to maintain a supportive home environment, ensure the child’s continued education and provide emotional support to help prevent similar incidents in the future.
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About the Author
Prashant Rupera, Senior Assistant Editor with The Times of India in Vadodara for 22 years. He extensively covers dairy sector, co-operatives, environment, climate change, education, health, politics, aviation, railways, heritage and archaeology. He holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and a master’s in journalism and communication. He has received awards for his campaigns and is a TOI Scribe Tribe awardee.
