10-yr-old runaway from Pingalwara found, handed over to officials

The 10-year old disabled boy (in red T-shirt), who ran away from 

Pingalwara, was recovered and sent back in Amritsar on Thursday

Amritsar, April 6
A 10-year old disabled child, Rajeev, was today handed over to Pingalwara officials after he ran away from the organisation’s Manawala facility a day earlier. The child was found by a Sharifpura resident, Ramandeep Sodhi, who had lodged a complaint of the missing child with the Rambagh police station.

In a gross lapse of security, the child had ran away from the Manawala complex, despite security claims by officials. Incidentally, this is not the first time Rajeev has run away. “He was handed over to Pingalwara four months back when the police had found him deserted and roaming on city streets. He was studying in our school for deaf children and had earlier too run away twice, only to return on his own,” said RP Singh, in charge of the school for deaf at Pingalwara’s Manawala complex. According to RP Singh, Rajeev is an ódd case’ and an expert in breaking locks, “We had a tough time confining him to his room, as he breaks locks and has a knack for going missing. We had put him under psychological counselling as well and tried to confine him to a high-security hostel. But there has been no improvement. We cannot keep these children locked up, as it is not good for their physical and mental health. We are still clueless as to how he broke out of the main entrance gate and managed to run away.”

Meanwhile, Sharifpura resident Ramandeep says that he found the child sitting outside his house at late evening on Wednesday. “He was playing with some kids in our neighbourhood and later I found him sitting in front of our gate. I asked him about his whereabouts and realised he cannot speak or hear. I gave him food and shelter while lodging a missing child complaint at the Rambagh police station. Today morning, we were informed that the child was from Pingalwara and he was handed over to the officials in the presence of the police.”

The incident, however, raises questions over the security arrangements of the facility that is home to many disabled children.