Operation Muskan launched in Odisha to rescue missing children

Operation Muskan, a month-long drive to rescue and rehabilitate Odisha's missing children, was launched by the state police on Saturday.

This is the third edition of Operation Muskan launched by the Crime Branch in association with the Women and Child Development Department.

On the first day, as many as six children were rescued from the capital city.

A joint team of the Crime Branch and Commissionerate Police rescued the six children, who were working as child labourers at Khandagiri Square. They were later sent to an open shelter home at Jatni.

The first phase of the Operation Muskan will be held within Odisha to rescue the missing children.

The second phase will focus on rescuing and tracing missing children from Odisha in other parts of the country. It will be launched on July 31, said Special DG (Crime Branch) B.K. Sharma.

As per direction of the Supreme Court for the protection of missing children, the Odisha Police has launched a month-long drive each year in two phases since 2015.

At least 981 kids were rescued during the drive in 2015 while the police rescued 2,610 children in 2016.

--IANS

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