Uttarakhand Police launches 'Operation Smile' to find state's missing people

In a bid to search missing people in the state, the Uttarakhand Police on Wednesday kick-started 'Operation Smile'. The campaign will be operational from September 15 to October 14. The Uttarakhand police informed that they have already started searching all the possible places across the state where line stations of finding the missing are high.

"Areas such as shelter homes, dhabas, factories, bus stands, line stations, religious places, Ashrams etc. will be searched during the operation," a police official informed. Police teams are also exploring the missing in their respective districts as well as other districts and states of the country.

Special teams formed in every district: DGP Ashok Kumar

Director-General of Police (DGP) Ashok Kumar stated that 'Operation Smile' is being run in the state since 2015 and that so far, the campaign has been launched 10 times. "Special teams have been formed in every district," said the DGP. He also informed that under Operation Smile, a total of 2,183 people have been found, out of which 100 are men, 207 are women and 1,876 are children.

As per the police, one Additional Superintendent of Police/Deputy Superintendent of Police has been appointed as the nodal officer at the district level in the campaign. They also informed that four teams, consisting of one Sub-Inspector and four Constable each will be formed in Dehradun, Haridwar, Udham Singh Nagar and Nainital. Out of these, a team has been constituted as the Anti Human Trafficking Unit. 

Operation to also be controlled by Anti Human Trafficking Unit 

Operation Smile will be controlled by the Anti Human Trafficking Unit in the remaining districts. A team of one Sub Inspector and four Constables has also been formed in the Indian Railways.

On the other hand, a woman police personnel has also been compulsorily appointed for interrogation of missing or recovered children and women in each search team. Also, one Legal (Prosecution Officer) and one Technical Team (DCRB) will be assisting each team during the operation. The cooperation of other related departments or institutions will also be taken into account during the Smile campaign, the police informed.

Operation Smile also called Operation MUSKAAN is an initiative of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to rescue and rehabilitate missing children. It is a dedicated campaign for a month where several activities are taken up by the State Police personnel to trace and rescue the missing children and reunite them with their families.

(Inputs: ANI)

(Image: PIXABAY/PTI)