Children go missing from state-run juvenile homes in Karnataka

Children’s homes across Karnataka are fast turning unsafe for the residents. Here are some grim facts. As many as 891 kids have gone missing from 33 homes located in various districts of the state.

These figures were made available after a right to information application was filed with the department of women and child development, Karnataka, by Odanadi Seva Samsthe — a Mysore-based social organisation working for the rescue, rehabilitation and reintegration of trafficked women and children.

The RTI application was filed in March.

The figures consist of kids who went missing from these homes during the period April 2001 to March 2011. Moreover, four cases of unnatural deaths of children have also been reported from these homes.

The highest number of children, 226, went missing from Government Boys Balamandira, Bangalore. Whereas, 116 children went missing from Government Boys Balamandira, Hassan; 113 from Government Boys Balamandira, Gulbarga; 85 from Government Boys Balamandira, Kolar and 83 children from Government Boys Balamandira, Bellary.

The figures of children, boys and girls, missing from the care and protection shelters, run by the department of women and child development, have raised serious doubts about their safety and security in these homes.

“We are concerned about the missing children. Shockingly, there is no information on them. Where are these children?” asked an agitated Stanly KV, founder member of Odanadi Seva Samsthe.
Activists fear that missing children are vulnerable to trafficking and child labour.

“These children could have fallen prey to flesh trade or organ-transplant rackets, that are so prevalent in our country,” said Stanly.

Child rights activists have demanded an immediate investigation into the matter.

Activists alleged that the department of women and child development, Karnataka, had not done enough to trace the missing children. “Apart from filing an FIR about the missing children in police stations, the department has done nothing. Moreover, the police also did not take cases of missing children from such homes seriously, and hardly investigate the cases,” lamented Parashuram ML, co-founder of Odanadi Seva Samsthe.
Activists say that a large number of missing children cases from government-run children homes strengthen the common belief that government homes do not provide child-friendly atmosphere.

“As it is, most children’s homes in Karnataka are in a pathetic condition. They are severely short-staffed, and lack expert intervention and adequate extra-curricular activities. The children’s homes are crowded and kids are forced to survive under inhuman conditions. They are served poor food, often undercooked.

Children also have no access to medical aid or formal education,” informed Nagasimha G Rao, convenor of Campaign Against Child Labour Karnataka.

“We cannot have a situation where the state-run shelters are losing a large number of children, year after year. We want an impartial investigation to help improve the administration of juvenile homes across the state,” said Parashuram.

Activists allege that officials of the department of women and child development are involved in  massive corruption, siphoning off the money meant for the care and protection of children in distress.

Children who stay in these shelter homes are runaway, missing, abandoned children, and child labourers. Most of the inmates of these homes are in the age-group of 8 to18 years.