The Mysuru District Child Welfare Committee (CWC) has ordered a comprehensive police inquiry into the death of the 14-month-old trafficked girl at the Child Care Home in Mandya.
After questioning the director and coordinator of Vikasana, the government-recognised child care home in Mandya, the CWC directed to the Mandya Rural police and Mandi police station in Mysuru, which is investigating the trafficking case, to conduct a comprehensive inquiry into the death and submit a report at the earliest.
The child, who died on Saturday, was among 16 trafficked children separated from their illegal caregivers and lodged in separate child care homes. While six children were sent to Vikasana, six others were admitted to Janapada Seva Trust at Melkote and the four others to Bapuji Children’s Home in Mysuru.
The CWC has also issued directions to the Mysuru District Child Protection Officer to shift the remaining five children out of Vikasana in the wake of the death of the 14-month-old child.
Mysuru District Child Protection Officer Nagaraju confirmed that the CWC has directed that the five children be shifted out of Vikasana to a suitable child care home.
“We are yet to identify a new child care home in either Mysuru or Bengaluru. As most of the child care homes in Mysuru and Mandya already had more children than their capacity, we may have to shift the children to a child care home in Bengaluru,” Mr. Nagaraju said.
Meanwhile, sources in the CWC said Vikasana director Guru and coordinator Pradeep explained to the CWC members the events preceding the death of the child on the fateful Saturday. The child was apparently hale and hearty till 9 a.m. A little later when it was being fed milk, the child fainted. Though the staff and others rushed her to the hospital, the baby died.
Though a post-mortem was conducted before the baby was buried, the report is yet to be submitted. “The post-mortem report will take some time to be submitted as it will have to be sent for forensic tests,” an official said.
