MYSORE: In an incident that has left many a police official red-faced, a team comprising members of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), labour department officials and activists of Odanadi, an NGO, conducted a surprise raid on the residence of a police inspector and rescued a 13-year-old girl who was made to work as a bonded labourer there for the last two years.The raid was conducted in the presence of media personnel on the residence of inspector M N Shashidhar in Vijayanagar, just 200 m away from Vijayanagar Police Station.That the incident has come to light after the Mysore City and District Police conducted for the first time ‘Namma Mane Police’, a unique programme wherein police officials would visit houses and collect details of children to ensure that they are sent to school is a cause for consternation.The CWC team acting on a tip-off raided the house and rescued the child, Tanu, 13, (name changed), the daughter of Annappa and Manjamma, natives of Konanur in Arkalgud taluk of Hassan district.A police constable at Arkalgud station, Paramesh first noticed Tanu working in the inspector’s residence.Meanwhile, Tanu related to the police that her father had borrowed a loan from Shashidhar for his elder daughter’s marriage.Tanu, who was then studying in her third grade in school, was forced to give up education and made to wash utensils and mop the floor of the inspector’s house.She was locked up in a backyard, covered with grills, whenever her captor’s family went on an outing.The girl’s statement was recorded in the presence of CWC Chairman Venkatesh, Labour Inspectors Hemalatha and Shivashanker, Odanadi directors Parshu and Stanley, among others, when she expressed desire to continue her education.Stanley said that the tahsildar should register a police complaint in the case.He said that the child will be produced before the CWC and then handed over to a juvenile home.“The child will be provided free education and boarding facilities as her parents are poor.” Meanwhile, the police officer’s family chose to remain evasive to the media.
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