Susheela, a domestic help and resident of Vyalikaval, was on her way to work on Monday afternoon when she found a young boy and girl begging near her house. She was shocked to see that both children had multiple burn marks on their face and arms.
She rescued the two kids – a four-year-old boy and an eight-year-old girl – and took them home where she bathed them. She later took them to a doctor, who said that the wounds were burns from cigarette butts.
Sushma (name changed), the young girl, recounted to The Hindu that the wounds were inflicted by “uncle” who stayed with her mother. Sushma led Prabhakar, Susheela's brother, to the place where her mother was.
“The girl's mother Fathima and man Devaraj were drunk and sleeping on the pavement behind Ayyappa Temple, Malleswaram 18th cross. As I went there with the girl, the man came charging at her with a large stone, threatening to kill her. The public beat him up,” Mr. Prabhakar said and added that Devaraj was handed over to the police.
Mr. Prabhakar found a two-year-old boy lying down with the couple there. Even the toddler has sustained multiple burn wounds on his head and arms. However, the most severely injured is the four-year-old boy.
“Uncle forced us to beg every day. If we did not bring enough back, he would beat us and burn us with cigarette butts,” Sushma told the policemen.
Fathima, in her thirties was earlier married to Tangaraj from Doddaballapur and had three children with him, police said. She was now living with Devaraj, who claimed to be working at a garment factory. However, residents informed the police that the couple have been living at the street corner for the past month and were often seen beating the children.
Volunteers from child helpline Bosco Mane have now taken the kids to their custody and will soon be produced before the Child Welfare Committee. The Vyalikaval police have arrested Devaraj and detained Fathima.
