Missing child reunited with father

Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 22 (UNI) A nine-year-old boy of Dharmapuram in Andhra Pradesh, who went missing a few months ago and was found at Thiruvananthapuram, today returned home with his father.

Mamabazha, who went missing in Bangalore, was rescued by the Thiruvananthapuram Railway Police and handed over to the Childline in September last year.

The Childline authorities said they had contacted a person in Dharmapuram with a telephone number provided by the boy. However, as the man was unable to trace the father of the boy, Childline centres across the country were alerted.

Childline in Vijayawada unit traced the boy's brother Gosmathi, 7 and mother Salma. Gosmathi was in a shelter home as Salma was hospitalised as her condition was poor.

She died in hospital in December. By that time, Childline had contacted the father, Sherif, who was working as a tea vendor at Dharmapuram Railway Station. Sherif said the family was involved in begging and the members often went missing and returned home after several days.

Mamabazha and his father took the train to Bangalore, from where they would be leaving for Dharmapuram, Childline officials said.

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