Twenty-nine children rescued from 'hostel'

Mangalore, April 4: Twenty-eight boys and a girl were rescued by the district Child Welfare Committee from a “congested” hall in Pakshikere area.

Chairperson of the CWC Asha Nayak said that the children were aged between six and 15, and that the girl was 11 years old. Most of the boys are from different places of the State, including Tumkur, Halebid, Hassan and Chikmagalur. Seven of them were from Patna in Bihar.

After receiving a call around 2 p.m. on Saturday, Ms. Nayak went to the spot with a few social workers, and found the children had been kept in a hall, measuring around 250 sq. ft., which had only one toilet and a bathroom for all of them, and around 10 other people, including the family which looked after the children.

Ms. Nayak said that on questioning the man in charge of the so-called hostel, he said that they were brought here for education. When asked for documents showing parental consent for allowing the children to be under his care, or financial records, the man claimed that they were with the chartered accountant, Ms. Nayak said.

The children were brought to the Balakara Mandira in Bondel the same evening. When this correspondent visited the Balakara Mandira, one of the boys, aged 7, had a bruise under his right eye, suggesting that it was not an accidental injury. When asked how he got injured, Chandu (name changed) from Patna said: “I fell down.”

On asking why he did not have any other injuries, he and the other boys gave some more details. Pappu pointed to a table and explained that he had hit his head against a table. Amid the ongoing chatter, Chandu said he slipped, showing the motion with his foot.

Ms. Nayak said that the first priority for the CWC was to ensure that the medical examination of the children was done.

Both physical and psychological assessment of the children's well-being had to be determined, she said. Attempts would then be made to trace the parents of the children.

Sub-inspector of police Muniswamy Nilakantan said the accused, K.K. Joy, has been arrested and charged under Sections 364 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code and Section 41 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2006.