As the story of a homeless boy named Ankit from Muzaffarnagar went viral on social media, several families have come forward to adopt the child.
Mohammad Mushfakeen, chief officer in the child and women welfare department, said, "After coming to know that the boy was under the care of the district police, we have taken him under our observation. He is now staying at a shelter home and is being counselled. Some families have approached us and are keen to adopt the child. We can give him to such a family under the policy of the government, called foster care, but first, we have to trace his family."
The child, who is around nine years old, is being counselled by the Child Welfare Committee, and the administration is making all efforts to bring him into the mainstream.
The police department is planning to admit him into the Modern Police School, as private institutions are reluctant to give admission to the boy who has never been to school.
Muzaffarnagar Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Abhishek Yadav, has asked SHO Anil Kaparwan to admit the boy into the Modern Police School if no one comes to help him.
Speaking to ANI, Ankit stated that since the last 8 years he has been staying at Shiv Chowk with his pet dog Danny. He also said that his mother ran away years ago and his father is in jail. He also thanked police for helping him.
Ankit does not remember where he belongs to, except the fact that his father is in jail, and that his mother has abandoned him. He has been surviving by working at tea stalls and on selling balloons.
He sleeps on the footpath with his friend -- Danny, a dog, who stays with him always. He uses his earnings to feed himself and his pet dog.
Ankit made news when someone clicked his photograph, sleeping on a pavement with his dog and sharing a blanket with the pet.
After the photograph went viral on social media, Muzaffarnagar SSP tracked down the boy and took him under his care.
(With inputs from IANS)
