Woman who works in Rabale, reunited with runaway 11-year-old son at Jhansi station; though frustrated and heartbroken—this wasn’t the first time her son had run away—she didn’t hesitate for long
Piyush reunited with his mother, Ritadevi, in Jhansi, UP. Pic/Childline Jhansi
After hours of gentle and patient questioning, 11-year-old Piyush Gautam finally opened up on Wednesday evening. With teary eyes and a trembling voice, he shared his mother’s mobile number with officials from the Jhansi Childline team—a turning point that led to an emotional reunion days later.
On the other end of the call was Ritadevi—startled, overwhelmed, and emotional. Though frustrated and heartbroken—this wasn’t the first time her son had run away—she didn’t hesitate for long. Within hours, she boarded a train to Jhansi to bring him back.
Piyush had been found alone and disoriented on board the LTT-Gorakhpur Express on the night of April 14. When Childline staff located him, he appeared more lost mentally than physically. “He couldn’t recall a single phone number. He mentioned a grandfather he was supposedly visiting, but didn’t know the address or contact,” said Alok Kumar, a constable with Jhansi Childline. “It took time and gentle conversations, but eventually he trusted us enough to share his mother’s number.”
Piyush Gautam with the RPF in Jhansi. Pics/Childline Jhansi
Once contact was established, Ritadevi’s identity was verified through a series of questions and Aadhaar credentials. She was urged to take the earliest possible train to Jhansi. She arrived around noon on April 18 and was taken directly to the Childline office, where her son was waiting.
The reunion was quiet, heavy with emotion. The two embraced tightly, the room falling into a respectful silence as the tears flowed. They will remain in Childline’s care overnight and appear before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) on April 19 for official proceedings.
This episode, however, is part of a longer and more painful pattern. “He’s run away more than a dozen times,” Ritadevi said in a conversation with mid-day. “Every time, we go crazy looking for him—filing complaints, spending everything I have just to get him back. This time, I had nothing left—no money, no strength.”
Originally from Gorakhpur, Ritadevi separated from her first husband and moved to Delhi to provide for her two sons. Later, she remarried and relocated to Mumbai in search of stability, but that relationship also fell apart. She now works as a cleaner and clothes arranger at a chemical company in MIDC, Rabale, supporting her children on a modest income.
She believes her former in-laws have been influencing Piyush against her. “They feed him things… and he’s just a child, so he gets confused,” she explained. “He told me his mind goes blank sometimes, and he just walks out. He doesn’t even know how he ends up at the station.”
In the past, she’s filed multiple missing complaints at local police stations. “But this time, I didn’t. My phone had stopped working, and honestly, I thought he’d call if he really needed me,” she said.
Childline officials had to convince Ritadevi to make the trip to Jhansi. “At first, she refused. She said she had no money and was emotionally drained,” said Bilal Ulahq, station supervisor at Childline, Jhansi. “But our female officers spoke to her at length, explained the importance of her presence. Eventually, she agreed.”
As Piyush, his mother, and younger brother sat quietly at the Childline office, there was a fragile sense of calm—and perhaps a renewed sense of hope. What lies ahead will be determined by the CWC.
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
