CHILD-Rape Again!

CHILD-Rape Again!

Snehalaya’s Snehankur Project’s Ajay Wable called up Snehalaya’s CHILD LINE co-ordinator Kundan Pathare regarding a child rape case in Dakhangan area involving a 14-year-old child, lured away by her own relative with promises of marriage. Kundan along with Vrushali reached the Nagar Taluka Police station where she unsuccessfully tried to communicate with the girl, Damini, who chose to remain sullenly silent.

The child’s mother was more co-operative, and so were some family members. However, the stories were non-corroborative and inconclusive. Damini refused to answer queries from both D.S.P. Anita Jamadar as well as Police Inspector Ashwini Patil. Finally Vrushali managed to persuade the younger brother Vinod Dhirwade to shed some light on the confusion.

It was revealed that their relative Chandu Pawar works as a contractual brick-maker at Pashan Road, Pune. During Chandu’s visits to Dakhangan, his mother would call Damini over to sleep with Chandu, who sexually exploited the misled girl.

It so happened, that Damini’s mother got hospitalized, and her father had to stay in the hospital to tend to her. Her elder brother was busy with his own affairs and her younger brothers were too innocent to know what was happening. Being promised marriage Damini would sleep with Chandu every night, who used her well with his own mother’s connivance! On her return from the hospital, Damini’s mother was horrified to know about the girl’s nightly absences. When she took up the matter with Chandu’s mother, Damini threw tantrums. This made matters worse for the entire family.

Eventually, Damini’s family had to go to Parner where the advanced stage of pregnancy was visibly noticed, and the physician confirmed pregnancy. In spite of repeated attempts, Chandu refused to marry Damini and with his family’s support he disappeared. Damini’s family then asked Snehalaya’s CHILD LINE to help out. After verifying the facts again, a case was filed against Chandu (and his mother for being an accessory in the crime) under IPC section 376 and THE PROTECTION OF CHILDREN FROM SEXUAL OFFENCES 2012 under section 3 and 4. The hunt is presently on to trace Chandu. Snehalaya’s CHILD LINE will relentlessly track down Chandu to bring him to justice.

Exploitation of Children at an Ashram Shala!?!

Mr. Sanjay Tambe the Director of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Ashram Shala at Talki Kandeshwari in Karjat Taluka, owns a hotel run by his father-in-law Mr. Arjun Chavan.

It transpired that about a year ago, a poverty-stricken couple admitted their children aged between ten to twelve years to the Ashram Shaala. The children supposedly studying in the sixth class were forced to work in the hotel all day, where they were quite often beaten up mercilessly. Some concerned citizens reported this blantant use of children as child-laborers to the Karjat Police. On 27^th March at 11p.m., Snehalaya’s CHILD LINE team- member Alim Pathan received a call from the Karjat Taluka Police seeking intervention for two young children from an Ashram Shala. 

Alim along with his team-mates Ramesh Salke and Vrushali Bhalerao immediately set off for Karjat and took custody of the children by 2:30 a.m. A case against Mr. Arjun Chavan for coercing the helpless children to work in his hotel as waiters was registered at the Karjat Taluka Police station.

The team-members also filed a case against the Mr. Sanjay Tambe under Child Labor Act 1986 : Section 3/14 and under Juvenile Justice Act 2000 : section 23 and 26. After completion of the legal formalities, the team-members accompanied the children to the Child Welfare Committee at Ahmednagar. The committee admitted the children to District Probation and After Care Association. Thanks to the alert citizens, the co-operative police and Snehalaya’s CHILD LINE, two more children were rescued from cruel child-abusers. Whenever we come across children being abused, the simplest thing to do is to call up Snehalaya’s CHILD LINE toll-free number : 1098. They are geared and willing to take immediate action. Help is just a phone-call away!

11-year old child escapes rape!

At 6:30 p.m. on a pleasant evening of 22^nd March, a flustered Kishor Pathare trudged into Snehalaya’s CHILD LINE and complained that their own neighbor Santosh Dethe, had molested his 11-year old niece child Shweta. This shocking news was indeed even more amazing, especially because Kishor is known to be a former member of CHILD LINE! Don’t child-molesters know any dread or shame? Snehalaya’s CHILD LINE co-ordinator, the indefatigable Kundan Pathare, speedily formed a team consisting of the ever-ready CHILD LINE team-members : Abdul Khan, Shahid Shaikh, Somnath Bargal, Sunil Mohite and the perceptive counselor Ms.Vrushali Bhalerao, The team immediately set off to launch an intervention operation at the molested child’s home in Astagaon.

Vrushali accompanied the terror-stricken child to a separate room, comforted her and slowly & sensitively explored the delicate matter of the recent trauma. Shewta tearfully narrated her tale beginning with how Santosh would stalk her every day on her way to school – passing comments and teasing her. She had mentioned this to her uncle Ganesh, who apparently had brushed it off as a non-issue, failing to perceive the grave threat to the innocent child, in this real world of remorseless child-molesters. Eventually Monday 18^th March, when Shweta was happily on her way to school as usual, the emboldened 32-year old Santosh cunningly lured Shweta away from the road, saying he had some nice gift for her. He led the uncomprehending unhesitant child into an empty tin-shed near his home, fondled her and on increased demented arousal, ripped off Shweta’s under-pants. Can a 11-year old child ever withstand the brute strength of a 32-year old man crazed with lust? It was an Act of Providence that Shweta managed to escape from a certain painful rape. She hurried back to the only safe haven she could think of - her home. She wept all day recalling the horrors, magnified by the ignorance at her tender age, and finally lapsed into silence when all her tears dried up. The family only knew that she had come home crying instead of going to school, until Kishor stumbled on the possible cause. On gleaning full information about Shweta’s ordeal, Vrushali asked the family why didn’t they report the heinous crime. They hesitantly replied that they were ashamed and afraid of the consequences of the exposure resulting from reporting the disgusting crime. Their entire family would be disgraced!

After reasoning with them, Shweta (accompanied by her mother and grand-mother) was escorted to the Supa Police station, where an FIR (First Instance Report) was filed against accused under IPC 354, 504 and 506. The surprised Santosh was immediately arrested and the court remanded him to police custody. Snehalaya’s CHILD LINE will follow-up diligently to ensure that justice is finally done, and to instill apprehension in other potential child-molesters. Don’t forget to dial Snehalaya’s CHILD LINE toll-free number : 1098 at any time to rescue children in distress - even when they are not your own!

Kidnapped in shirur & saved in sangamner!

Snehalaya’s CHILD LINE’s well-known phone no. 1098 rang once again at 10.30 a.m. on Sunday 10^th March. The caller Mr.Bharat Bhosale informed the co-ordinator Mr. Kundan that returning home late the previous night, he had noticed a very young couple sleeping outside the closed “Dhaba.” Considering the potentially dangerous surroundings in this high-risk locality, he enquired about their origins, and was told that they were newly married runaways who wished to settle down in Sangamner. The good Samaritan graciously took them to his own home for the night, and called 1098 the next morning.

Kundan accompanied by the ever-ready Ms.Vrushali and Mr.Mangesh immediately rushed over and met the three of them. The 14-year old girl Komal tearfully confessed that they were actually unmarried, and the 28-year old man Ashok had persuaded her to run away from her home in Shirur, and lured her to Sangamner promising. Vrushali consoled the girl lovingly and gently explained the facts of life, about love and lust, and the perils of accompanying a relatively unknown male, to an area notorious for prostitution - where terrible untold dangers await the unwary. The innocent misguided girl realized her grave mistake and earnestly requested help to rescue her from this disaster.

The CHILD LINE team-members contacted the Shirur Police station, who confirmed that Komal is indeed missing, and agreed to come over to Sangamner along with Komal’s parents. Since Ashok had already used the minor girl, the Asst. Police Inspector of Sangamner police station Mr.Bharbale arrested Ashok for kidnapping and rape of a minor girl. Ashok is suspected of having lured the girl of an impressionable age to Sangamner for coerced prostitution.

The lucky Komal, was handed over to her relieved parents to renew her normal teenage life again. All expressed their heartfelt gratitude to Snehalaya’s CHILD LINE for their professionalism. Our team thanked Mr.Bharat Bhosale for his good deed and also God for the numerous opportunities to serve the unfortunate children in distress.

CHILD LINE is a life line

FALSE ALARM!!

At 3.15 p.m. On 7^th March, Snehalaya’s CHILD LINE received a mail from the CHILD LINE INDIA FOUNDATION City In charge Hemant More, reporting the rape of a 8-year old girl Ms. Yewle (nicknamed Babu) from Padali Aale village, (Taluka Parner, AHMEDNAGAR district), and admittance into a hospital  at Aale Phata (Paware/Aware hospital),by her terrified parents. The alleged 70-year old rapist (having the same surname Yewle) is a retired Head master of the Zillah Parishad School, and apparently with enormous political clout and well-connected with the police officials and the NCP.

Moving swiftly, Snehalaya’s CHILD LINE quickly chalked out an action plan. Kundan, Vrushali along with Abdul and Shahid first met the Dy. Superintendent of Police Mr. Barkund, who sent them onwards to Police Inspector Mr. Someshwar at Parner police station. He in turn arranged a telecom with the Police Inspector Mr. Nirbhay who was out on his rounds. As a result, accompanied by a Police Sub-Inspector as well as two constables, the CHILD LINE team reached Padali village by 8 p.m. After cautiously surveying the locality, the team approached a group of playing children, offered them sweets and discreetly enquired about Babu’s situation and location. The children mentioned that Babu’s injury has led to her being absent from school since the last four days. The team visited Babu’s home; Vrushali had a heart-to-heart chat with Babu in complete privacy. The puzzled Babu confided that her aged relative (uncle of her father) had inadvertently hit her below her abdomen (private part), while trying to strike a dog. The perplexed parents also separately confirmed the same. Babu is the darling of a loving family. The team was taken to the unjustly accused’s home, where the rape perpetrator was discovered to be a senile, bed-ridden 84-year old person! His astonished family was distraught on realizing the reason for the team’s visit.

By this time his enraged well-wishers and village elders including the Sarpanch gathered and vociferously expressed their displeasure over tarnishing the reputation of an innocent gentleman, and the situation took an unpleasant turn. The outraged villagers also shouted that they would never tolerate such heinous crimes, if ever perpetrated on the daughters of their village. The team-members explained Snehalaya’s CHILD LINE’s role, obligations & commitment, and distributed relevant pamphlets, which soon pacified the agitated mob.

This cause of this incident is apparently a conspiracy to malign the Yewle family. His family members could have filed a case of harassment or even a defamation suit. Thanks to the Snehalaya’s CHILD LINE team’s handling this sensitive matter diplomatically, the matter was resolved amicably and the team returned back to the office at around 1:30 a.m., awaiting the next call for assistance.

HOMEWARD BOUND!! Safe-n-sound!

On the scorching afternoon of 26^th February, a couple of workers of the Jakat Naka at Solapur road noticed a dejected lady along with two equally miserable girls looking completely lost – as if searching for someone who isn’t there. On discovering that the ladies speak some unknown language, with incredible presence of mind, the workers promptly dialed 1098 for Snehalaya’s CHILD LINE - and graciously accompanied the frightened ladies to CHILD LINE office. God indeed works His wonders in mysterious ways! The CHILD LINE’s Sunil, in the meanwhile, summoned the multi-lingual CHILD LINE volunteer Rohit Kodam for interpretation. Apparently, the Telugu-speaking Mrs. Laxmi Wadelu (along with her 16-year old sister Sujata and her 7-year old daughter Sushila) had embarked from Hyderabad in search of her husband Siddhu Wadelu, who supposedly was working as a laborer somewhere in the Ahmednagar vast M.I.D.C. area. Siddhu’s whereabouts were unknown, his cell phone unreachable and the penniless ladies had no means to return home, and no clue on what to do next. Since Siddhu remained untraceable, to ensure the safety of these ladies in distress, the CHILD LINE team contributed sufficient funds and bid farewell after putting the relieved family  on board a bus to Hyderabad. Thanks to the good Samaritans and timely intervention of Snehalaya’s CHILD LINE, the imprudent participants of this potentially dangerous misadventure, are now safely back home. 1098 is a phone number worth noting – where timely aid is merely a phone-call away!!