CHENNAI: Glory Gunaseeli, superintendent of the Government Children’s Home for Boys, Royapuram, denied the allegation that the boy was beaten up at the home. However, she said the boy had to stay in the home until Tuesday, since the Child Welfare Committee conducts hearings only on selective days.
“We made all efforts to track his father, but his phone was switched off. We informed the local police also, and they told the boy’s neighbours to inform the father that his son was at the home,” she said.
When asked about the allegations of the boy beaten up in the home, she said the father may be making the accusations angry over his son not being immediately sent with him.
But she said they have to wait till Tuesday, since the child’s custody can be given to the parents only after being produced before the Child Welfare Committee. But the committee convenes for a hearing only on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. She said the boy was brought to the home only on Wednesday around 4 pm. The child’s father got in touch only on Friday around 4.30 pm. She said if the father had come on Friday morning, they could have made arrangements to produce the boy before the committee and sent with his father the same day. “We have to make sure the child is left in safe hands,” she says.
P Manorama, former chairperson, Child Welfare Committee (CWC), says what is more important now is counselling of the child to help him get out of the trauma.