The Weekly Observer Vol 13 issue 9

Observer The weekly

ursday, September 26, 2013

VOL 13 ISSUE 9

Weekly Observer exclusive earns slum children a new school

PAGE 2

16-year-old under state care found raped and pregnant

Worshipers risk lives crossing tracks to reach temple

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Raped and dumped on the road 246 minor girls were raped between January 2013 and August, 2013. On average, one minor girl is raped every day he initially resisted but finally ad-

give a statement. She is still uncon-

mitted to the crime and took us to

scious. We will take her statement

the place where he had dumped the

as soon as she is stable.”

girl.”

Apurva Venkat

has been in a coma for the last two days.

is is not the first case in Kar-

Gajanand added, “ We are very

nataka this year. According to the

upset with what has happened. My

State Crime Records Bureau, 246

picked her up and took her to the

niece was just four years old. is

minor girls have been raped in Kar-

hospital at Baad. We later shied

man has made her lifeless. I want

nataka from January, 2013 to Au-

her to Belgaum as her condition

him to be punished as harshly as

gust, 2013.

was serious.”

possible.”

is means that on average one

According to the police, the ac-

Dr. Roopa, head of department,

cused was taken into judicial cus-

Pediatric ICU of KLES Prabhakar

tody at 6pm yesterday. He was

Kore Hospital said: “e girl was

is figure has doubled in the past

produced at a special court in Bel-

admitted to our hospital on Mon-

two years. According to the records,

gaum. He has been charged under

day midnight. ere is a team of

104 minors girls were raped in the

section 376, 307 of the Indian penal

three to four doctors working on

year 2011.

code. According to the criminal law

her. She is in critical condition.”

minor girl is being raped every day in the state.

Narmada Anand, Programe man-

amendment act, 2013 the accused if

e girl’s uncle, who is with her at

ager for child protection, Depart-

convicted is liable for imprison-

the hospital, said: “I have been told

ment of Women and Child

ment of not less than 10 years.

that there was an operation con-

Development, Karnataka, said: “Al-

ducted yesterday on her for a head

most 60 to 70% of these rapes

injury. Doctors have told me that

would be committed by family

the sex offences act.

Photo credit: Tarun Bharat, Belgaum

destroyed her childhood forever.

He added: “ Her mother and I

He has also been charged under

Shivanand Mali, who allegedly raped his 4-year-old niece and dumped her by the road, is in jail as his niece fights for life

Gajanand said that her uncle had

ese sections pertain to punish-

we will have to wait till tomorrow

members of the girl. It is very diffi-

ment for penetrative sexual assault,

to see if the girl’s condition stabi-

cult to find out a way to stop this.

aggravated penetrative sexual as-

lizes. Until then she is at risk. ere

What we need now is to work at the

sault and punishment for aggrega-

is a police sub-inspector continu-

ground level. e Gram Panchayat

tive penetrative sexual assault.

ously with us. ey have been very

should start sensitizing people.

helpful. I just hope my niece sur-

ese are the people who are in

vives and gets better soon.”

closest contact with them.”

e Sankeshwar Police Station

Her uncle, Shivanand Mali, took

police have caught the accused and

legedly raped by her own uncle

her out of her house luring her with

registered a FIR on the basis of the

Gajanand added: “ While the doc-

She added that, the present sup-

and le to die by the road.

a chocolate. He then allegedly

information given by the family

tors are doing their level best, all we

port system available in form of

raped and dumped her on the out-

members.

can do is pray for her recovery.

Child line (emergency helpline

A four-year old girl was al-

e girl was admitted to the KLE S Prabhakar Kore Hospital, Bel-

skirts of the village.

MS Magadi, constable from

Once she is doing better the next

numbers for children) should be

gaum, in a critical condition on

e girl’s uncle, Gajanand, said:

Sankeshwar Police Station, said:

struggle would be to get this terri-

more effectively publicized and

Monday at around midnight. She

“When we questioned Shivanand,

“e girl is not in a condition to

ble experience out of her mind.”

used.

e Weekly Observer

ursday, September 26, 2013

2

Observer story earns kids a school BESCOM turns blind

Ramaiah, Director of Public Instruction, visiting the children the migrants stay. e children Nibedita Mohanta will be taught in Hindi.

Children living in Rajarajeshe decision came aer e wari Nagar slum will soon be Weekly Observer reported that taught in their mother tongue more than 40 children have never - thanks to e Weekly Obbeen to school and aer the news server. was shared with the PRO of Kare Director of Public Instrucnataka Education Department tion, at Karnataka Education DeSuma SK, a site visit was partment, N.Kodandaramaiah, arranged. visited the slum on September 21 She sent the director to visit the aer our story and decided to slum and it was decided by the start a ‘tent school’ near where government that a new school

should be built.

An NGO called the MS Surabhi Foundation has taken the responsibility of starting the school from September 26, 2013.

In a written statement to the Deputy Director of Public Instruction, the parents had stipulated that they would only agree to send their children to school if a tent school close to their slum was set up. is is because of a fear that their children would be kidnapped if they went to other schools in the area. e parents finally agreed when the government accepted their proposal of setting up school near their slum.

Suma SK said: “ey are all deprived children and they do not have a proper place to stay and that is why they could not go to school. Temporary arrangements have been made to teach them as it is a social responsibility and they also have the right to get educated.”

ink before you breathe

Ishan Bhattacharya

Certain areas of Bangalore emit as much as three times the legal limit of pollutants into the air. e law states that 60 micrograms of pollutants per cubic meter of air are allowed.

In the area around a graphite factory in Whitefield, the Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter (RSPM), pollution that can be breathed in, the values have exceeded the national permissible limit by three times. e legal limit for this matter is 60. Karnataka State Pollution Control Board found levels of 162. e air quality in Karnataka Housing Board Industrial area at Yelahanka exceeded the permissible levels by three times since 2011-13 with a reading of 182. e reason behind such a gigantic leap in the level of RSPM in the area is primarily due to the construction of the International Airport Road, according to KSPCB. Ambient air quality of the area near a battery manufacturer at Mysore Road has also exceeded the national permissible limit from 2006 to 2013. Measurements revealed that in the period

from 2012 to 2013, the RSPM concentration in the area was three times higher than the normal rate, sitting at 169.0.

Yeshwanthpur has also failed to live up to the standards set by the Air Prevention and Control of Pollution Act, 1981. e ambient air quality in the area is almost double the national permissible limit. According to KSPCB measurements, in 2012 and 2013, the concentration of RSPM in that particular area is 107.0.

Since last year the ambient air quality around Victoria Hospital has deteriorated significantly. e RSPM recorded in the area was 152.0, which is two and a half times greater than the permissible limit.

Ullash Kumar, an environmentalist in Bangalore, said: “Air in Bangalore is highly polluted.”

He added: “High levels of RSPM causes chronic heart disease, cancer and lung problems. e worst affected are children.

He claimed: “Bangalore is currently the most polluted city in India and this is not properly reported as people may stop coming here. Bangalore can hold a maximum of 20 lakh people but now more than one crore live here.”

Dr Veeran Arora, from Victoria Hospital, said: “e most common problem from air pollution is asthma. In our out-patients department many come with breathing problems.”

eye to children’s safety

An open electricity box (above) and wires sprouting out from an electric pole (below)near the school in the Whitefield area Aurosmita Acharya Open electric wires pose a threat to around 800 children studying in schools in Whitefield.

Despite 40 deaths being recorded by the State Crime Records Bureau from January 1, 2013 owing to electrocution, four poles in a residential area of Whitefield have wires spilling out.

Adding to the problem is the absence of safety boxes.

Usha Mohan, the Director of e Bangalore School, said, “We have made a complaint regarding the wires since March 2013. e Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) has not bothered to take any action.”

Clara, a school administrator said, “Last week we saw sparks on these poles. Since this is a very narrow lane we have to be very careful for our children. “e vans and buses that pick the children from the school are parked here.”

Prem, a resident said, “Our complaints go unheard. e Resident Welfare Association has been regularly making a complaint for the rectification since the past three months.”

St. omas School, which is

about 150 meters from the Bangalore School, has almost 700 students. Vijaya Paul, the Office Assistant of the school said, “Last week we had to allow all the vehicles inside the premises to pick up the children as we saw electric sparks on these poles because of heavy rains.”

Krishna Prasad, one of the parents said, “I have two of my children studying at St. omas School. Hence I personally had been to the BESCOM office to make a complaint. But, I am yet to get a response from them.” e Public Relation officer at the BESCOM office in Whitefield said, “We have been busy in laying the underground cable connection hence the complaints have remain unaddressed. We will be looking into the complaints soon.”

e Weekly Observer

ursday, September 26, 2013

3

Minor under state care found raped and pregnant on the street Anannya Sarkar

show official release papers, which

A 16-year-old girl rescued by the

are mandatory according to the law,

According to the statement given

along with two other men, forced

Child Welfare Commission and

before a minor can be taken from a

by Childline to the CWC, Kavita

Kavita to leave her aunt’s house the

supposed to be in a government

care home. Childline and the NGO

was first rescued by Childline

very next day and took her to a man

shelter was found wandering the

involved were not informed about

workers Manjula and Suseiraj on

where she was raped for four days.

streets two months pregnant.

the release of the girl.

granted bail on July 8.

the charge sheet said that Manjula,

July 19,2012. Kavita was then found

According to the NGO, no visit-

Kavita (name changed) was

e commission has refused to

again at Adarsh Nagar, Kolar, on

ing record of the Probation Officer

found roaming in the streets again

comment on the girl’s case or to dis-

March 7 this year, when she was

or the DCPO has been found dur-

and was taken to the Child Welfare

close the release order required by

two months pregnant.

ing the time when she was missing

Commission (CWC) by the same

law.

NGO and Childline workers who had rescued her the previous year.

Kavita had approached a local

from January until March.

vide them.

Narmada Anand, Programme

Kavita was recognized immedi-

church volunteer for food. On

Narayanamma, in her statement

Head, Child Protection, Directorate

ately by the Childline workers as

being taken to a doctor aer com-

said that she was Kavita’s sole living

of Women and Child Development,

She told police she had been re-

having previously been rescued.

plaining about stomach ache, she

relative and had taken care of her

said: “It is unfortunate that this

peatedly raped. She had been taken

According to the NGO working

was suspected of being pregnant.

until she was eight years old when

happened to the young girl but the

from the government shelter by a

with Childline at Kolar, the CWC

e volunteer informed the local

she ran away. However, she said she

case is pending in the High Court

woman who claimed she was her

did not have adequate answers on

Childline workers who then came

willingly took her back when she

and necessary action will be taken

aunt. e Child Welfare Commis-

being questioned about how Kavita

and rescued her and took her to

was called by the CWC.

against Manjula.” She refused to

sion handed her over and refused to

ended up pregnant and on the

Kolar Gold Fields (KGF) CWC

streets again. Instead, they coun-

home.

Narmada Anand of Women and Child Development.

e rule for releasing anybody

comment on the possibility of any

from a CWC home is that a Social

slack from the CWC’s side and the

seled Kavita and filed a complaint

Aer Kavita was rescued by

Investigation Report (SIR) has to be

fact that the man who raped Kavita

against Childline worker Manjula

Manjula the first time, she was kept

formulated before handing them

has not yet been traced.

who had rescued her both times.

at KGF under the supervision of the

over to anybody. Despite repeatedly

Manjula’s case, aer her spend-

Manjula was arrested on March

CWC. However, the CWC handed

being asked for the SIR report and

ing days in jail, is still pending in

25 by the Robertsonpet Police and

her over to Narayanamma,65, the

a copy of the release documents

court while the man who raped

the chargesheet was filed on June 26

woman who claimed to be Kavita’s

pertaining to this case, both the

Kavita still roams free. Kavita is at

booking her under the Prevention

aunt, on January 24, according to

chairperson, S. Kalaiselvi, CWC

present living in Bangalore under

of Immoral Traffic Act 1956 and

the charge sheet.

KGF and Rukmini, Superintendent,

the observation of the CWC and

CWC Home, KGF, refused to pro-

will deliver her baby soon.

Sec.04 of POSCO Act 2012.She was

e statements submitted with

5 star hotel features UK diplomat in promo film Appreciating the food, he adds:

box at the

a “changing room”, no services

“It’s wonderful” and that the Taj has

entrance to

were taken up.

A British diplomat and his part-

an “excellent standard. is will al-

the

hotel,

Farheen Mansoor, Public Rela-

ner helped promote one of India’s

ways be a special place for us.”

situated in

tions manager at e Taj West End,

its

own

said: “It's a very personal matter re-

Anand Jain

largest luxury hotel groups.

e video, produced to mark the

Ian Felton, the United Kingdom’s

hotel’s 125th year in business, greets

grounds in

garding the Taj West End and we do

Deputy High Commissioner in

everyone who rents a room. It plays

Bangalore.

not want talk about it in a public

Bangalore, appears in a promo-

on televisions in every room as a

e

tional video for the Taj West End

welcome message to guests from all

Commis-

Michael Wright, PA of the British

Hotel in the Indian city, together

over the world.

sioner has

High Commissioner in New Delhi,

with his partner Judith Fairbairn..

Mr Felton appears to have vio-

In the 10-minute long clip, he

lated the Civil Service Code by

and his wife take a horse and car-

helping to promote a private ven-

riage ride through the grounds and

ture.

Ian Felton and his partner in a clip from the video organization”.

It goes on to state that commissioners must never act in a manner

forum.”

responded

said: “I think he might have done it

saying his “participation was part

in a personal capacity and he is per-

of ” the commission’s “core public

fectly within his rights to do so.”

diplomacy”.

e video also features notable

Felton, in an interview, says he can

e British Civil Code for Com-

that would lead the ordinary man

“It is a place steeped in British

always rely on the Taj for that spe-

missioners states that a commis-

in the street to question their mo-

history with royalty and previous

Mazumdar Shaw, a leading Indian

cial luxury service.

sioner's conduct "must not give the

tives.

prime ministers staying there. My

entrepreneur and Dr. Devi Shetty,

personalities

cluding

Kiran

"e welcome we received at the

impression to any member of the

Felton and his partner appear in

role in Bangalore is to promote

a philanthropist and leading car-

Taj was more than we could have

public" that he has "been influenced

the video for about 75 seconds and

Indo-British ties,” he said, present-

diac surgeon.

ever experienced anywhere else in

by a gi or consideration to show

are also filmed taking time to ap-

ing this as the reason for his “par-

the world," he says in the video.

favor or disfavor to any person or

preciate a bright red Victorian post-

ticipation”. He added that except for

e maximum time, however, has been devoted to Felton.

e Weekly Observer

ursday, September 26, 2013

4

College bus crashes, 35 hurt Pranay Lakshminarasimhan & bus and witnessed the accident. He Karishma Ravindran alerted the hospital, called for amA college bus smashed into a tree

bulances and made sure that all the

leaving 35 students and two staff

victims were admitted within half

members injured.

an hour.”

e bus, belonging to JSS Acad-

According to the BGS Hospital

emy of Technical Education, was

PRO, Blood Kumar, 27 of the total

carrying 50 passengers, including

number of victims were girls. All

students and professors, to the col-

the victims were taken to the

lege when it collided with a tree on

trauma centre for initial treatment

Uttarahalli Main Road.

and were then branched out, de-

e driver, Ramesh, 39, was taken to the hospital along with the vic-

pending on the magnitude of their injuries.

tims. He didn’t sustain any injury

Venkatramana, the Vice Chair-

and was therefore, along with the

man and Chief Neurosurgeon of

bus owner, taken to the police sta-

the hospital, said that three victims

tion for further inquiry.

sustained critical injuries and were

Prithviraj, an investigation officer at Kengeri Traffic Police Station,

detained for further procedures and observation.

The JSS Academy bus that crashed into a tree on Uttarahalli Main Road, injuring 35 people already discharged and none of

will be discharged very soon,” he

said that the driver has been

Ashwini, a 21-year-old student,

them has any serious injury. ey

said.

booked for negligent driving under

suffered spinal injuries while Sid-

all have minor cuts and bruises that

Shruti, an unharmed student trav-

ing on the state of the college buses,

Sections 229 and 337 of the Indian

daruda, a 26-year-old student, sus-

were properly treated by the hospi-

elling on the bus, said: “e driver

said that all of them were improp-

Penal Code.

tained an elbow injury which

tal staff.”

was continuously speeding up. He

erly maintained.

e victims were rushed to BGS Hospital for immediate treatment.

requires surgery, according to a hospital spokeswoman.

Mrutyunjaya added that Pooja, one of the students on the bus, was

swerved to avoid hitting an electric pole and collided with a tree.”

tims were borne by the principal.

Students at the college, comment-

ey added that the roads around the college were in a terrible state

Mrutyunjaya, the Principal of the

College principal Mrutyunjaya

taken back into observation be-

According to Kumar, the medical

and have been so for a long time.

college, said: “A doctor from BGS

said that no one was critically in-

cause she felt giddy aer being ini-

expenses including costs incurred

Police and three ambulances at-

Hospital was driving behind the

jured. He said: “All the victims are

tially discharged. “She is fine and

on medicines and X-rays of all vic-

tended at the scene.

Blinded by faith, life lost on the rail track that from January 2013 to Septem-

because of the illegal level crossing

ber 10, 2013 as many as 402 people

near Sri Muthuraja temple. Daily

were run over by train, 30 per cent

morning more than 100 people

less than last year. Among the

come here for worship. Even

deaths this year, 337 were male vic-

though crossing the railway track is

tims.

illegal and dangerous, people be-

In Bangalore, 19 people died because they were run over by trains.

lieve that Lord Muthuraja will save them."

All 19 of these cases were registered

Shivamma, another visitor to the

H.L.Renganatha Moorthy, the priest of Sri Muthuraja temple

at Majestic Railway Police station.

temple, said: “People who visit the

occur there. We can build a bridge

H.L.Renganatha Moorthy, a priest

temple are very superstitious. ey

or subway only when the central

A man crossing the railway track near Sri Muthuraja temple

in Sri Muthuraja Temple who lives

believe that whatever happens to

government orders us to do so and

Chitharth Mathivanan and Ishan Bhattacharya

beside the temple in Jayaram Doss

them while crossing the rail lines is

it is the duty of the people to get or-

was crossing the railway track in

said: “People come to worship Lord

God’s wish.”

ders from the state government."

order to reach the Sri Muthuraja

Muthuraja for his blessings by risk-

Suvankar Bishwas, public rela-

H.S. Rajajeshwari, ward councilor,

Worshiping God in Jayaram Doss

Temple which lies just across the

ing their lives. It has become a rou-

tions officer, South Western Rail-

Nayandihalli said: “People cross the

has become a matter of life and

rail lines. He is one of 402 people

tine thing for worshipers to jump

ways Bangalore said:"It is not the

track on their own will and we are

death.

killed by trains this year alone in

over the tracks and have a look at

railways who build the temple, peo-

not responsible for the conse-

the state, according to the State

the Lord.”

A 32-year-old man was run over by a train in April, near the Gnanabharati Railway Station while he

Crime Recors Bureau.

Data given by the bureau revealed

ple crossing tracks to visit the tem-

quences. We have informed the

Rajkumar, a daily visitor of the

ple is illegal and we are not

people regarding the perils involved

temple, said: “People lose their life

responsible for any accidents that

but people are still ignorant.”

Observer Team: Editor–Nikita Chief Sub Editor– Bhaskar Dutta Splash head– Apurva News Editors– Mayuri J. Ravi, Ishan Bhattacharya & Anagha Sawant Sub Editors: Aurosmita Acharya, Neha Singh & Gaurav Kumar Photo-editor– Chitharth Mathivanan Design Desk– Nibedita Mohanta Reporters– Bhavika Bhwalka & Anand Jain Emergency Call Services-Karishma Ravindran Proof Readers– Pranay Lakshminarasimhan & Anannya Sarkar Email– editor@iijnm.org An IJNM Publication (For Private Circulation)