Imphal, August 21 2009: The chairperson of the Child Welfare Committee, Imphal west today submitted a spot enquiry report conducted on the "unlawful" detention of the 11 year old girl, Salam Bidhyarani in the police custody to the chairperson of the National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights.

While placing a detail account of the detention of the child for four days in the police custody and freed after her parents were arrested on August 18 last, the CWC, Imphal west, in the submission, observed that the girl was detained unlawfully and the detention was amount to exploitation of the girl child in the form of bargaining the daughter in exchange of her parents.

She was kept in an atmosphere not permitted by the Juvenile Justice Act and the act was total violation of the rights of the Child and Juvenile Justice Act.

They also harassed the child physically and mentally which as a result, Bidhyarani is at present admitted in the psychiatric department of the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences as she needed immediate medical intervention.

In the submission of action against the security and police, the report of the enquiry conducted by a team of CWC led by its chairperson Annie Mansatabam also stated that the enquiry revealed the abuse of child rights and gross violation of the Juvenile Justic (Care and Protection of Children) Amendment Act, 2006 .

The enquiry report mentioned that Salam Bidyarani was forcefully picked up by the combined team of commandos of Imphal west and 12 Maratha Light Infantry (MLI) after a prolonged scuffle between the security forces and the womenfolk of the neighbouring houses including a school teacher who reached the child's house on hearing the commotion.

On not finding her parents not at home when the combined force entered the house, they picked up the child who was preparing lunch for the day at about 8 to 8.30 am.

During the scuffle, the child also fainted, the report stated.

Though, the child was picked up in the morning at about 9.30 am, she was admitted at the New Light Health Clinic, Mayang Imphal in the afternoon at about 3 pm as per record of the clinic.

"Throughout this time (from 9.30 am to 3 pm) the girl was unconscious and was in the custody of the combined forces even though she needed immediate medical attention.

Apart from this, instead of opting for the PHC which is much nearer to the Mayang police station, the child was admitted at the Clinic and after she was discharged from the clinic on the next day (August 15), she was taken into the Mayang Imphal police station by four to five women constables in uniforms.

The two grandmothers who attend the girl insisted the police to allow the girl to return home, the police station (reportedly the OC) responded that she will be freed only after her parents are handed over to the police by her family members, the report further mention.

At the time inspection to the room at Mayang Imphal police station where the girl was detained, the team also found out that the girl along with her grandmothers and two women constables (1MHG, 1MP) were on guard in a congested 10X10 room with only two 'charpoys' and with uniforms hung all over one side of the room.

The atmosphere contributed to a threatening ambience for a child, the enquiry report submitted today to the chairperson of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights.

Comment