Jalpaiguri, May 30: Twelve-year-old Farizul Rehman’s escapade was cut short by the Railway Protection Force at Jalpaiguri. He had fled from home to find “freedom from his troublesome and irritating mother”.

Hurt by his mother’s scolding, Farizul left Bhagabangola in Murshidabad and set out for Calcutta.

He soon realised that life in the metropolis was no cakewalk. With most people “looking suspiciously” at him, he wanted to evade their stares. So, he headed for New Jalpaiguri on a train from Sealdah.

When RPF officials found Farizul roaming on the platform, they became suspicious and brought him to their office.

They rang up Childline, a helpline monitored by the Jalpaiguri Welfare Organisation, whose members arrived from New Jalpaiguri.

Childline worker Kuntal Ghosh said: “Farizul told us he had decided to leave home as his mother had scolded him.”

Farizul was brought to Korok Boys’ Home situated in Racecourse Para of Jalpaiguri and his parents were informed.

Farizul’s father Annan Ali, a businessman, arrived in Jalpaiguri today with some of his relatives to take his son back. As father and son were united, the members operating Childline also shared their joy.

“We feel satisfied that we have been able to offer help. This is the sixth such case that we have dealt with,” Ghosh said.

Hardly able to hold back his emotion, Ali said: “We were on the verge of losing hope when we got the news. After Farizul went missing, we made a public announcement but nothing came of it. The help that the members of Childline have offered us cannot be expressed.”

“It has overwhelmed everybody in our family. They have brought back our son to us and we cannot thank them enough,” he added.