Three Delhi Police personnel, who had traced 77 missing or runaway children and reunited them with their families, were awarded by Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik on Tuesday.
"The officers who have been awarded by Patnaik were Inspector Abhinendra, the station house officer of Vijay Vihar and his associates, Sub Inspectors Divya Mann and Anuj," said Deputy Commissioner of Police Rishi Pal.
These missing children who have been reunited with their families mostly resident of Budh Vihar Phase-I, Vijay Vihar Phase-I, Pal Colony, Sadar Colony, Mange Ram Park and other areas of west Delhi. Some are from Rohini in north Delhi, Pal said.
"Around 4 lakh people are living in Vijay Vihar area and mostly of them are running roadside stalls, working as labour in factories, as rickshaw pullers, fruit venders and other menial employment. Most parents work on daily wages to earn their livelihood.
"Being poor they do not have sufficient resources to bring up their kids properly. These circumstances work as contributory factors for their children to flee from their homes," he added.