The Maharashtra government today sent 53 runaway children from Bihar back to their homes.
These minors were provided shelter in a children home in Dongari area here.
Minister of State for Women and Child Development Vidya Thakur was present to give a send off to the children.
"Go back to your home and obey your parents and guardians, never hurt them," Thakur said.
"With the help of an NGO named My Home India and cooperation from Railways, these boys are leaving for Patna tonight by Rajendra Nagar express," she said.
"35 Mumbai police constables would be escorting them and they will hand over these children to the member of Child Welfare Committee working in Bihar, who would later on hand over these children to their respective parents," the minister added.
Following this, the number of such children has reduced to 384 from 437.
"Departmental process is on to send another batch of 35 runaway children to Uttar Pradesh," said an official from reform home.
At present, Maharashtra has 1,100 children homes in which 43 are state owned.
"Mumbai is a city where most of the children come here by fleeing away from their homes to meet film stars and after few days they finally land in our remand homes," said Thakur.
Rahmatullah, a runaway child from Sitamari from Bihar said, "I ran away from my home and came here to meet Shahrukh Khan and to work with my brother. But I forgot the address of my brother and could not meet Shahrukh also and finally a policeman brought me here.
