Bengaluru (PTI): Police on Sunday said they carried out a series of swift, technology-enabled rescue operations over the last 12 days in which several missing and unattended children were traced and reunited with their families within minutes under the Bengaluru Safe City Project.
In a press release, police said the operations were carried out through the project and the ‘Namma-112’ emergency system, which allowed real-time response, GPS-based deployment of patrol vehicles, and coordination between the control room and field staff.
"Coordination between the control room and field personnel played a crucial role in these operations. This response reflects the city’s emphasis on modern, technology-driven policing," the statement said.
The police said the first incident was reported on December 27, 2025, under the JP Nagar police station limits, when a mentally unstable woman attempted to take away a two-year-old child.
An assistant sub-inspector noticed the incident and alerted ‘Namma-112’, following which a Hoysala patrol vehicle reached the spot within five minutes, and the child was safely handed over to the mother.
On the same night, under the Chamarajapete police station limits, a 16-year-old mentally challenged boy who had gone missing was traced and reunited with his mother within minutes of receiving the emergency call, the police said.
Subsequent incidents were reported from Bellanduru, Rajagopalanagar, Kadugodi and Kumbalagodu police station limits, where unattended children found alone were traced and escorted back to their families.
Another incident occurred on January 14 near the Hosakerehalli flyover under Girinagar police station limits, where a toddler was found wandering on a busy road. Police said a Hoysala patrol vehicle reached the spot within four minutes, and the child was reunited with the parents after verification.
The police said response times in the incidents ranged from four to 20 minutes, and all the children were safely reunited with their families.
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Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Former CPI(M) MLA S Rajendran on Sunday joined the BJP after accepting party membership from state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar here.
Rajendran, a veteran leader from Idukki district, represented the Devikulam Assembly constituency from 2006 to 2021.
The induction took place at the BJP state headquarters, where Rajendran was joined by three other leaders, including CPI leader Gurunadan and CPI(M) leader Santhosh from Kuttanad.
Speaking on the occasion, Rajendran said he had not been active in party politics for the past four to five years but had continued working among the public.
He said he had been "living with regret and emotional distress after losing faith in his political space."
"Till the last day, I never betrayed the politics I followed throughout my life. There has never been any allegation that I worked against my party or its committees," he said.
He clarified that the decision to join the BJP was taken after discussions with people close to him.
Rajendran said his decision to meet BJP leaders was linked to issues related to plantations and plantation workers.
He said he was impressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s stand and expressed confidence that issues faced by plantation workers could be resolved under the BJP's governance.
BJP leaders said around 100 people are expected to join the party at an event scheduled to be held in Munnar on February 8.
Addressing the gathering, Chandrasekhar said Rajendran had told him that only the BJP could resolve the state’s problems.
He said issues faced by people in Munnar and Idukki remained unresolved and asserted they would be addressed when the BJP comes to power.
Chandrasekhar thanked the Railway Minister and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for allotting three new trains to Kerala.
He said the BJP would campaign in the upcoming elections on development, security and the protection of faith.
"Those who support these causes will be welcomed, irrespective of the party they belong to," he said.
Chandrasekhar alleged that Congress-led governments had been voted out in several states and at the Centre since 2014 and accused the Congress of "supporting corruption and appeasement politics."
He also alleged that CPI(M) state secretary M A Baby and Congress leader Robert Vadra had "spoken in favour of Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, and claimed that the Congress-led UDF supports Jamaat-e-Islami in Kerala."
Calling Jamaat-e-Islami "an extremist and anti-secular organisation", Chandrasekhar said it "posed a danger" to the state. He also alleged that the Hindu community had the lowest per capita land and housing ownership.
Referring to Karnataka, he alleged that the Congress came to power by making false promises and claimed there "was corruption and a lack of funds for development" after it assumed office.
"This organisation is destroying Bangladesh and Pakistan and is causing problems in other countries as well. This should be debated," he said.
Meanwhile, senior CPI(M) leader and MLA M M Mani said Rajendran had neither been a party member nor a sympathiser for several years and that his joining the BJP did not matter to the party.
"It is a closed chapter. Whether he goes with the BJP or even the devil does not matter to us. We will take care of our own matters," Mani said.
He said the CPI(M) leadership in Idukki district had not made any attempt to bring Rajendran back when reports of his possible move to the BJP emerged.
"He has not been in the party for several years. We had taken action against him and expelled him. It does not matter to us if he joins any other party," Mani said.
Mani added that even if he himself were to resign, the party would not be affected.
He denied allegations that the party had harmed Rajendran.
"We made him district panchayat president and MLA several times. He and his wife are receiving pensions for life," Mani said.
