Khallikote: A two-year-old girl child who had gone missing from Balugaon railway station was rescued Sunday from Gurapalli toll gate along National Highway 16 under Khallikote police limits in Ganjam district. The child was reportedly abandoned by an unidentified man who quickly fled the scene. The owner of a tea stall near the toll gate noticed the toddler wandering alone and took her in temporarily, informing the local police shortly thereafter.
Responding promptly, Khallikote police arrived at the toll gate around 8 am and brought the child to the station for further care. Since her identity was unknown at the time, Khallikote police circulated her photograph to nearby stations and alerted the Childline. Acting on the directive of Khallikote CDPO Bijay Laxmi Padhi, Anganwadi supervisor Bhagyalata Senapati and worker Sunita Kumari Sabat, along with another staff member, reached the station to assist in the process. While preparations were underway to hand over the girl to the Childline team, her mother unexpectedly arrived at the police station.
On seeing her mother, the child ran joyfully into her arms, leading to an emotional reunion that brought cheer to everyone present. The mother, Sangita Parimanik, a resident of the Uma Maheshwar temple area in Balugaon, later recounted that she had briefly left her daughter on Platform No. 1 of the railway station while she went to work. Upon her return, the child was missing. After a futile search, she complained with the railway police. Upon seeing the photograph shared by Khallikote police, she immediately rushed to the station and identified her daughter. She expressed heartfelt gratitude to the police for reuniting her with her child. Khallikote IIC Ramesh Kumar Pradhan, Anganwadi supervisor Bhagyalata Senapati, worker Sunita Kumari Sabat and other police personnel expressed happiness over the safe return of the girl to her mother.
