Imphal: The Manipur Department of Social Welfare has rescued a four-year-old girl, her mother and grandfather from the streets near Polo Ground in Maning, Imphal, following a social media post highlighting the family’s condition.

The rescue operation was carried out on Monday by the Directorate of Social Welfare in coordination with child protection and social welfare officials from Imphal West district. Officials acted after a photograph circulated on Facebook showing the young girl sleeping on a piece of cardboard beside her grandfather on the pavement.

After locating the child and her grandfather, officials traced her mother, who was reportedly away doing odd jobs to support the family.

Mother and daughter shifted to shelter

The mother and daughter were initially taken to a nearby One Stop Centre for immediate assistance. They were later shifted to Shakti Sadan, an integrated relief home, where they will receive shelter, counselling and other support.

Meanwhile, the grandfather was admitted to the New Life Foundation Rehabilitation Centre for specialised care and treatment. Officials said he was reportedly struggling with alcohol addiction while caring for the child.

Department assesses welfare support

Social Welfare Director Sheikh Abdul Hakim said the department would provide counselling to the family and assess their eligibility for relevant government welfare schemes.

He said the state government remained committed to protecting vulnerable people under the direction of Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh.

The department also appealed to the public to report cases involving vulnerable women and children through official helplines rather than relying solely on social media to draw attention to such situations.

People can contact 181, the women’s helpline, or 1098, the child helpline, to seek assistance for individuals in need of protection and support.