Missing Assamese girl reunited with parents in Kerala, chooses to remain under CWC care

The missing Assamese girl from Kazhakootam embracing her father and crying during their reunion at the Child Welfare Committee office in Poojapura | Photo: S Sreekesh
The missing Assamese girl from Kazhakootam embracing her father and crying during their reunion at the Child Welfare Committee office in Poojapura | Photo: S Sreekesh

Thiruvananthapuram: In a heartfelt scene at the Poojapura Child Welfare Committee (CWC) office, the Assamese girl who had been missing for a week was reunited with her parents. The emotional moment was marked by tears and embraces as the family came together after their distressing separation.

The child’s parents arrived at the CWC office early Monday morning, eager to see their daughter, who had been brought from a government shelter. The parents were deeply grateful to Kerala authorities for their unwavering support in locating and bringing back their child. The two younger sisters, who were excited to see their sibling, played cheerfully in the office yard.

After more than an hour of waiting and discussions with CWC officials, the girl and her parents were finally reunited. The girl, distressed after being scolded by her mother, had taken Rs 150 from her mother's bag and travelled by bus to Thampanoor railway station, where she boarded a train. During her journey, she met a woman who bought her biryani and encountered two persons trying to take her photo, which she requested not to do. She faced no difficulties in the journey. The child, who had been living in a government shelter, was eventually brought to Kerala with the help of Malayali Samajam workers in Visakhapatnam.

Shaniba Begum, District Chairperson of the Child Welfare Committee, informed the gratitude of the girl’s parents for the round-the-clock efforts of journalists and others who contributed to the search. They also expressed gratitude to Kerala and its people for their support and care during the search for the missing child.