KURNOOL: A nine-year-old girl was allowed to meet her mother at the Kurnool sub-jail (women) after a video of her crying at the door of the jail went viral on social media platforms. The video evoked a wave of sympathy for the child.
The incident took place on Friday around 12.30 pm at the sub-jail located in the Revenue Divisional Office and Mandal Tahsildar Office compound in Kurnool City.
It has been learnt that a few people, reportedly her relatives, had captured the video of the girl weeping outside the jail and posted it on social media. Authorities of the jail took note of the girl and allowed her to meet her mother, identified as Khaja Bhi.
The 35-year-old woman was sent to judicial remand on charges of theft on December 12. It has been learnt that since the mother’s arrest, the girl, along with four of her siblings, has been under the care of her relatives. Following the meeting, the jail officials took the address of the girl’s relatives and handed her over to them.
District jail superintendent Gani Naik said Bhi has five children and lives at Vaddigiri in Kurnool city. Her husband had abandoned her for another woman. She began working as a daily wager. Khaja Bhi is reportedly a repeat offender.
Asked if the nine-year-old girl would be allowed to live with her mother, Naik explained that only children below the age of six are allowed to stay with their mothers in jail as per the rules.
Kurnool district child welfare committee chairperson S Jubaida Begum said they will visit the house of Khaja Bhi and meet her children to assess the situation. “If needed we will shift them to a childcare institute or let them continue staying with the relative, whichever is in their best interest,” she explained.