Society

Police use DNA tests to help return juvenile beggars

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-02-12 14:46

GUANGZHOU - Police in the capital city of south China's Guangdong Province announced on Friday that it would continue using DNA information from juvenile beggars and rovers to help lost or abducted children reunite with their families.

Lost children who are delivered to police will have their DNA recorded for matching, police in Guangzhou said.

The Ministry of Public Security also requires that parents or relatives of children missing for over six hours must be DNA-tested to help with the search.

In the past two years, Guangzhou police have rescued 27 abducted children and have sent five of them back to their families through DNA tests.

The police decision came at a time when a campaign to rescue abducted children through blogs gained support throughout the nation.

A blog called "Street Photos to Rescue Child Beggars" was created last month and instantly attracted tens of thousands of followers.

The blog, however, triggered debate as some comments argued that posting images of juvenile beggars or rovers would infringe on their rights of privacy and there were concerns that abductors might harm children if they see their pictures on blogs.