Amid the din and shuffle of feet, Gopal's husky voice calls out, ``Polish, boot polish...'' While a few passengers pause momentarily, most simply pass him by. Only, he is now allowed to sleep in the police station premises instead of a temporary shed on the platform. ``I used to earn Rs 20 and Rs 30 every day and it continues'', he said.

Gopal chanced upon an abandoned air bag containing the cash and other valuables while rummaging for left-over food in the Falaknuma Express. In the heat of the moment, several voluntary organisations made the usual noises saying they would rehabilitate Gopal and transform him into a role model for other street children, but nothing concrete has emerged.

A couple based in the United States were the only ones to respond, after reading about Gopal in a local daily on the Internet. B Babu Rao, Railway Policesub-inspector, recently received a cheque for US $ 75 along with a letter from Subrahmanyan Cheruvu and Shyamala Cheruvu, Texas.

The couple requested Rao to open an account in Gopal's name and utilise the money for his well-being. They wanted the SI to send Gopal to Vijayawada to a religious ashram being sponsored by them, but only if the boy was willing. ``I was surprised to receive mail from the United States as I do not have any relatives or friends abroad. It was only after I read the letter that I realised it was meant for Gopal'', said Babu Rao.

The Secunderabad Railway Police are planning to help Gopal in a manner that would provide him some permanent and decent living. ``There is no point in handing over the boy to a voluntary organisation or factory management until they place before me a concrete plan to help him out,'' Superintendent of Railway Police M Srinivasulu said.

Offers ranging from odd jobs in film studios and factories have also poured in. ``Those people will get a loyal employeein the form of Gopal but what will his future be?'' said Srinivasulu.

Gopal has refused to pursue his studies, but Srinivasulu hopes to convince him nevertheless. ``Until the boy is exposed to minimum education, any amount of help will take him beyond Class-IV employment. Life is better here than being a Class IV employee'', Srinivasulu pointed out.

Gopal told The Indian Express that he would go back to his village Koyalakonda in Mahboobnagar district, but ``after earning a lot of money.''

Gopal ran away from home two years ago after he was beaten up by his father for refusing to take cattle for grazing. ``During the two years, I visited my village twice and saw my mother from a distance and returned,'' he said, asked about his parents visiting him recently after seeing his photograph in the newspapers. ``Though I love my mother very much, I told her I would return only after earning enough'', he said.