A 13-year-old Assamese girl who had left her rented home in the city and was tracked to Visakhapatnam in August last year has left for her Assam to reunite with her family.

The girl who had been living at the Kerala State Council for Child Welfare’s Balika Mandiram here after being brought back to Thiruvananthapuram by the police from Andhra Pradesh had refused to go with her parents initially, though they had wanted her to return to Assam with them.

She had been living at the child welfare council at Thycaud and had been admitted to school to continue her education. Though the girl was happy at the council in the company of other friends and the caretakers, she recently expressed to council general secretary G.L. Arun Gopi the desire to return to her parents in Assam.

As institutionalisation is considered the last resort, district child welfare committee chairperson Shaniba Beegam issued an order for the girl to be transferred to Assam to be reunited with her family.

The girl was given an emotional send-off by the other children at the council, caretakers, and council office-bearers. Mr. Arun Gopi gave her a present from the council. Ms. Shaniba Beegam was present on the occasion.

The girl will reach Assam by air on Friday.