On Tuesday, Sanjeev Marik, the Director General of Police held a video conference with Superintendents of Police (SPs) of all the districts and directed them over the initiation of the drive ‘Operation Smile’.
In move to make this operation effective, selective police officers would be imparted training to carry out this special operation in the state.
It is noteworthy that the Union Home Secretary Anil Goswami has directed all the state chief secretaries to implement Operation Smile, last week.
A month-long dedicated campaign for the operation would be started from January 1 to 31 next year across the country, according to the letter issued by the Union Home Secretary. During the campaign, the trained police officers would identify the children staying at bus stands, roadsides shops, shelters and religious places.
The Odisha police officers would be trained on the acts – Juvenile Justice Act, Protection of Child Rights Act, and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, prior to the launching of ‘Operation Smile’. They will also be trained on guidelines issued by Supreme Court and the Union Home Ministry.
Ghaziabad police have rescued 227 missing children from other states recently during the Operation Smile campaign.