Name: Sonu Majhi(Name changed)
Age: 15 years
Gender: Male
Education: Nill
Rescue date: 6th Mar 2021
Rescue Location: Khordha Railway Station
Father’s Name: Ram Kama Deva Majhi
Mother’s Name: Ratani Majhi
Address: At- Amjor, PS- Sadar, Dist- Kalahandi, State- Odisha
On the 6th of March, 2021- the Soch team got a call from the Station Manager of Khurda Road Railway station regarding a child found in one of the Cargo Trains stationed there. Without any delay, the SOCH team reached the Station and saw a boy, most probably in his teenage years, alone inside a cargo train compartment. We immediately rescued the boy with the help of the Railway Protection Force(RPF).
A single glance at the boy’s thin and fragile stature was enough to convey to us that he was malnourished. He hadn’t had a filling meal in god knows how long. His face gave a sense of fear mixed with confusion. Nothing but constant pain and agony all day can leave one in such a state. We were only trying to imagine what he must have gone through.
After a few moments, the team asked for his name and identification. The boy replied- Balaram (a false name for security purposes) and told us that he had nothing more than a polybag on him. The team tried to extract further information but to no avail. The boy remained silent. The team tried to create a comfortable and friendly environment for him. We offered him food and support. After some much-needed care, he agreed to share his story.
As the boy started to narrate his story, our faces fell in dismay and sadness. We were condemned to ask ourselves- How can humanity be so cruel? One day when both of his parents went out for their daily wage work, a man kidnapped Balaram from his home in Kalahandi. He took him to Berhampur and engaged him in a construction site as a physical laborer. He was working for 12 hours in a day without any pay. He was only given a single meal- just enough to keep him alive to work the next day. For ten days before reaching Khurda Station, he was begging on the streets and barely providing himself with a single meal. Throughout the whole ordeal, he was patiently waiting for his chance. When he got that, he cleverly ran away from the trafficker and hid in the cargo train.
After listening to his complete story, we informed the Child Welfare Committee(CWC) of Khurda. After completing all the platform formalities with RPF, the boy was produced before CWC along with his covid test report. Balaram had a long and fruitful conversation with all the officials present there. He revealed to them that more than 50 children like him were trapped in Berhampur Bus Stand.
The team contacted Berhampur CWC to investigate and rescue those 50 children from that trafficker. After our request, they agreed to examine and were successful in the rescue.
With the help of RPF, our team informed his local police station and Now he has been reunited with his family.
