SALEM: The Tamil Nadu Commission for Protection of Child Rights (TNCPCR) has constituted a two-member committee to inquire into the recent incidents of child trafficking reported from Salem, Erode, and Namakkal districts.
TNCPCR member V Ramaraj said a recommendation had been submitted to the Commission recently to set up a panel to inquire if there were any lapses in handling the case in which a child was sold by her parents to a businessman for Rs 10 lakh. Other cases the panel would look into are one of a child who was sexually assaulted by 12 people in Namakkal and another of two boys from Erode whose parents allegedly planned to sacrifice them. An inquiry was conducted into the cases and a report were submitted, he said.
"The TNCPCR chairperson Saraswathi Rangaswamy, after considering the inquiry reports and the recommendations, ordered the constitution of a two-member committee to inquire these cases. This committee has the powers of a civil court. The committee will inquire into the case at Erode on Wednesday (April 21), Namakkal on Thursday, and Salem on Friday. The concerned District Collectors, District SPs and District Child Protection Officers have been informed about the committee," Ramaraj added.
He further pointed out that if any lapses are found in any of these cases, the committee would recommend department-level action against the erring officials. Malliga Selvaraj is one of the members of the panel.