Mumbai group to sponsor education of two kids who were paraded naked in Ulhasnagar

Mumbai city news: The citizens’ group, True Worship, said it would also help their mothers get jobs.

After the two children aged eight and nine were humiliated for stealing chaklis in Ulhasnagar, a citizens’ group from Mumbai has offered to sponsor their education expenses, including school fees, for a year and help their mothers get jobs.

The group will distribute books and other stationery items to the children by the second week of June. (HT)

The group, True Worship, has 25 members, including housewives and children. It will distribute books and other stationery items to the children by the second week of June.

The two children were beaten up, stripped, tonsured, garlanded with shoes and paraded around the area for stealing snacks from a shop in Ulhasnagar on Saturday. They were also made to do 100 sit-ups for their action.

The Hill line police arrested the shop owner Mehmood Pathan,69, and his two sons Irfan, 25, and Tavakkal, 20, for subjecting the kids to such ordeal. The three are in police custody till May 26. The police arrested them under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, the POCSO Act and Sections 355, 500, 323, 34 of the Indian Penal Code.

Jayshree Jethwani,62, one of the core members from the group, said, “We will also distribute education materials to other children in the area. We are planning to hunt for jobs for their mothers so that they can overcome their financial distress.” The two mothers work as domestic helps.

One of the children’s mother told HT, “It feels good that people are coming forward to help us. But all I want is strict punishment for the three men. The police should make sure nobody suffers such treatment only for two chaklis worth Rs1.”

Mohan Waghmare, senior inspector from Hill Line police station, said a woman officer will children’s statements on Thursday. After being counselled, the children were not traumatised any more, Waghmare said.