A shocking case of child cruelty has been reported from Nagpur in Maharashtra where a 12-year-old child was allegedly chained and confined by his parents inside his home in Rameshwari area, an ordeal that lasted for several hours daily over the past two months. The parents resorted to extreme punishment as the child would repeatedly steal mobile phones, police told HT.
The child is said to be a school dropout and was rescued on Friday after the Maharashtra government’s women and child development department and the Nagpur police received information about the alleged confinement of the child. The child has been shifted to a government-run children’s home, where he is undergoing medical treatment and counselling.
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The case came to light after local residents alerted authorities, calling it a serious violation of child rights. Acting on the information, the District Child Protection Unit (DCPU) formed a team that raided the boy’s house.
{{/usCountry}}The case came to light after local residents alerted authorities, calling it a serious violation of child rights. Acting on the information, the District Child Protection Unit (DCPU) formed a team that raided the boy’s house.
{{/usCountry}}Here are some details of the case:
- According to police, the boy was found in a terrified and distressed state, confined indoors with chains and a padlock fastened around his legs. He was also allegedly standing on a bucket due to the lack of space.
- The parents, who are daily-wage labourers, would tie him up around 9 am daily before leaving for work, police said. "It was shocking to see such inhuman punishment being inflicted on such a young child,” District Child Protection Officer Mushtak Pathan called the punishment inhuman said, terming the punishment ‘inhuman’.
- Medical examination revealed injuries on the child’s hands and legs likely caused by prolonged use of chains and ropes. He also showed signs of mental and physical trauma.
- The parents had discontinued the child’s education and had subjected him to such treatment for nearly two months on account of his ‘mischievous’ behaviour as they said he would run away from home, disobeyed them and stole mobile phones.
- The parents said they claimed they chained him to control his “misbehaviour”.
What the officials said
District Child Protection Officer Pathan said the boy had no space to move and was allegedly kept without food or water.
A complaint has been filed against the parents and the case is being examined under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, and other relevant laws.
Senior inspector Nitin Rajkumar of the Ajni police station said complaints involving the boy had earlier been reported at multiple police stations in the city and rural areas. “We are referring the matter to the Child Welfare Committee,” he said.
With inputs from Pradip Kumar Maitra