KOZHIKODE: One of the six girls, who ran away from the Children’s Home for Girls at Vellimadukunnu here on January 26 and were brought back, tried to end her life late on Saturday. The girl, who had said she did not want to return to the institution, smashed a windowpane and slit her wrists.
She was rushed to the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital. The district child protection officer said the teenager was out of danger. Following the incident, her parents approached the district collector and the Kozhikode Child Welfare Committee (CWC) seeking the girl’s custody.
Normally, children’s home officials forward such requests to the district CWC, which then takes a call. The girl’s parents said they approached the collector and CWC directly as the children’s home authorities allegedly did not consider their request. A police complaint has also been lodged.
Kozhikode CWC chairman P M Thomas, who held a special sitting with the girls on Sunday, said the CWC members listened to the girls’ statements in detail. “CWC will protect the interests of the children and address their grievances,” Thomas said. The members spoke to one girl, who had tested Covid positive, over the phone.
Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights member B Babitha said they had received the report from district child protection officer on the suicide bid and will send a detailed report on the security lapses in the institution to Women and Child Development Minister Veena George and director Anupama TV.
Lapses by police helped accused escape, says report
Lapses by the police, albeit unintentional, helped Febin Rafi – one of the two youths charged under the Pocso Act for the alleged sexual assault bid on the girls – escape from Chevayur police station, said the report by Special Branch ACP (Kozhikode City Police) Umesh A. Febin, who escaped from the station on Saturday while he was being taken to the court on Saturday, was apprehended later. Two policemen are likely to face action. Thrissur native Febin and Kollam native Tom Thomas allegedly tried to sexually abuse the girls after giving them alcohol at a hotel in Bengaluru. The girls had met the duo at Whitefield railway station.
Youths innocent, say girls
The two youths, who have been arrested for sexual abuse, did nothing wrong, the girls told reporters after the special sitting convened by the district CWC. They said Febin Rafi and Tom Thomas were innocent.