Daijiworld Media Network
Mumbai, Jan 20: It is not everyday that one would witness the intricate family ties in today's world. But here is a very touching story of a five-year-old girl. The five-year-old travelled alone across six railway stations from Mulund to Vidyavihar without her parents' permission, just so that she could meet her grandmother.
Selvia Muttu Thevar, on returning home from her kindergarten on Tuesday January 17, pleaded with her mother Laxmi to take her to see her grandmother in Sion. However, Laxmi sternly refused to take Selvia to Sion and instead ordered her to get herself prepared for tuitions. A disappointed Selvia then turned to her uncle Ganesh Thevar, who stays in the same chawl for help only to find him in deep sleep in his house. Little Selvia then woke him up and requested him to take her to her grandmother's place. Annoyed at being woken up from his siesta, Ganesh slapped Selvia and sent her away.
Little Selvia also threatened her uncle that she would make the journey on her own. But Ganesh brushed it off thinking it was just another tantrum of a five-year-old. Selvia then did not turn back till she reached the Mulund station and made her way into a train after negotiating her way into Platform No 2.
With a thermocol box being her only possesion, Selvia journeyed her way across the six stations, glad that she would finally be united with her grandmother.
A woman in the compartment who noticed the child being all by herself in the journey, questioned her about her mother. Selvia obligingly told about her mother and her chidings to the woman and fellow passengers in Tamil, which was not understood by the Hindi-speaking women. They later handed her over to a female police constable on duty in the coach. By this time, the train was approaching Vidyavihar station, where the constable dismounted and then took Selvia back to the Mulund railway police station.
Meanwhile, Selvia's parents realised that their daughter was missing, as she hadn't been spotted for over an hour. However, their worry was short lived as they received a phone call from the Mulund railway police station. It was only when they spotted Selvia at the station with the cops that it dawned on them that she had run away from home.
Selvia's mother, said, "We scold her because she doesn't take interest in her studies. Datta Pabale, railway police officer, Kurla, said, "The child could have met with an accident. Children whose parents are not traced are sent to remand homes."