KOCHI: The Kothamangalam police on Thursday traced four children who went missing from Pragathi children’s home at Thrikariyoor near Kothamangalam.
The children, aged between 9 and 12, were traced after eight hours of search from a deserted house nearby where they were hiding. The police, after rescuing them, gave them medical attendance as they hadn’t eaten, and presented them before a Magistrate.
“Soon after receiving the intimation about the children going missing at around 6 am, we registered a man missing case and started the look-out. It was after hours of search that we were able to trace them from the deserted place,” said an officer.
“The kids said a warden of the home used to beat them and that they did not like the syllabus of an English Medium School where they were being sent. The kids broke out of the home as they wanted to go home,” the officer said. The home is for children who require special care due to societal and familial concerns. Many of them hail from broken or financially backward families.
“There are about 26 inmates at the home. We will look into the statement of the children against the warden in the coming days,” said a cop.