Hubballi: Every day, amidst the rush of trains and the chaos of passenger chatter at Bengaluru’s Yeshwanthpur railway station, Railway Protection Force (RPF) officer Puttegowda K L keeps his eyes not only on the tracks but also on the faces in the crowd.

In the last two years, he has rescued more than 150 children from potential danger. They are either runaway children chasing uncertain dreams or minors being trafficked to fuel the capital city’s endless hunger for cheap labour.

For Puttegowda, spotting a lone teenager stepping off a train from the north or northeastern states is now instinctive. “Every third day, I come across a teenager travelling alone and without a ticket,” he says.

“When questioned, they often give vague answers, saying they are in Bengaluru to visit relatives or t

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