Officials from the district administration on Friday rescued 253 children from “Home and Hope” an unauthorised home for children in Ganapathy Pudur. The home was also ordered to be closed on December 24.
The rescue came in the wake of the orders of District Collector Archana Patnaik after one of the inmates K. Suraj Kumar (12) died of suspected food poisoning and water contamination on December 18. As many as 34 students fell sick and were hospitalised.
Police registered a case against those in charge of the home, namely, Benedict Abraham, Manivannan and Dillis Harmy. On Friday, officials removed 253 children (141 from Odisha, 12 from Tamil Nadu, nine from Nagaland, 31 from Bihar, 44 from Jharkhand and 16 from Andhra Pradesh) and were accommodated at Don Bosco Anbu Illam and at St. Mary’s Home.
Meanwhile, officials are commencing the works for establishing contacts with the parents of the children
A detailed inquiry has also been ordered into the manner and circumstances under which the home was functioning.