The weekly observer issue 18

Observer The weekly

ursday, November 14, 2013

VOL 13 ISSUE 18

Modi faces legal challenge ahead of rally.

Child labour rampant in Silk City.

PAGE 3

PAGE 5

National Children’s Day special: Inside an orphanage

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Crushed for candy Prutha Bhosle A school bus driver allegedly killed a two-year-old boy by running him over aer offering him a chocolate.

On November 8, Laxmannayak (32), a Swaraj Mazda bus driver, asked the child to step outside his house by offering him a bar of chocolate. When the toddler, Nitin, stepped into the road, Laxmannayak ran over him and fled, said Hanumesh, Assistant Sub-Inspector Police of Bidadi.

He added, “Nitin was rushed to Rajarajeshewari Hospital but was declared brought dead. e on-lookers started pelting stones at the bus as soon as they witnessed the incident but the driver escaped them and was on the run ever since.”

Nitin is the only son of Govindraju and Anita. When Nitin was born, Govindraju set Anita on fire as he suspected her of having an illicit affair. In his rage, he even attempted to kill Nitin but was unsuccessful. e case was registered in Kunigal Police Station. Govindraju accepted all the allegations against him and was sent

,to the Central Jail soon aer the proceedings. e newly born Nitin was being raised by Rakesh, Govindraju’s cousin.

Rakesh, a stamp vendor, said, “Nitin’s grandparents and I looked aer him for two years. His death is still a shock for all of us.”

“We cannot manage life without him as he had become a very important member of our family.” “ When we informed Govindraju about his son’s death, he refused to perform the final rites and expressed pleasure in the incident. I myself performed the rites on November 9.”

Kumar, Bidadi Police Constable said, “e case was registered under sections 279 for rash driving or riding on public and 304A for punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder of 187 Motor Vehicle Act in the Indian Penal Code. We caught the driver on November 10 but he is now out on bail.”

Nitin’s grandmother, Venkatamma, said, “I lost my son first because of the crime he committed now I lost my grandson as well.

I have nothing le in life to live for.”

Narayanswami, Nitin’s grandfather said, “We are saddened aer the incident. Moreover, the fact that my own son refused to perform the final rites has hurt us immensely.” e case is investigated by Circle Inspector of Police of Bidadi. e motive for the murder is still unclear. e authorities of yagaraju Central School whose driver was Laxmannayak expressed severe punishment for him but refused to give any public statement.

Le: Nitin, a two-year-old, was crushed under the school bus aer the driver, Laxmannayak, tricked him to come outside the house by offering a bar of chocolate.

Right: e yagaraju Central School bus that was vandalized by on-lookers who got agitated aer witnessing the killing and stoned the bus.

e Weekly Observer

ursday, November 14, 2013

2

A city on the rise Bosch shied its plant to Bidadi aer expansion in July.

Shweta Nair Bidadi is the Bangalore of the future, according to industrialists and some of the world’s leading brand names.

In the last decade the small town on the road to Mysore from Banga-

Wipro office in Bidadi, an upcoming industrial hub.

multinational companies, will soon

off their land as they are getting a

icantly larger area, the relocation to

links two major cities in the state.

be developed like the main city of

good price.

Bangalore.

the developing industrial area in

One major factor that will be a pos-

With companies coming into the

Bidadi will result in availability of

itive influence for real estate devel-

Situated in Ramanagaram Taluk,

picture, residential projects have

better infrastructure support and

opment in the area is abundance of

Bidadi is developing on a faster rate

also started picking up. In the com-

transport facilities.

water. Unlike other areas in Banga-

and plans to make its mark on the

ing years, the Bangalore – Mysore

Being a responsible corporate cit-

map of Karnataka.

belt is going to see excellent growth.

izen Bosch has also taken this deci-

But Ramprasad has a different

It will be the newer Bangalore like

sion to relocate keeping in view the

story to tell, according to him, there

the Hosakote Road.

lore, Bidadi has no scarcity of water.

lore has burgeoned into a thriving

e Bangalore Metropolitan Re-

business hub. Cheap land, easy ac-

gion Development Authority had

appeal of the State Government to

have been water problems due to

cess and an abundant supply of

announced Bidadi to be a township

Dhiraj Singh, communications

shi manufacturing operations to

industrial activity in the recent

water has propelled the town with

and the plan for Bidadi Knowledge

head at Bosch said, “e Bangalore

new and futuristic industrial belts

years.

City is in the pipeline.

Prasad C.T, a real estate agent in the city said, “Bidadi is catching up with regards to real estate development. e Bangalore – Mysore belt is developing slowly but steadily. e railway line and the Nice Road project has boosted the real estate business in the area.

However it will take another 3 – 5 years for Bidadi to catch up as compared to other parts of Bangalore.”

developed by them from the heart

ere hasn’t been acute shortage

of the city in order to de-congest

but groundwater level has been de-

the locality.

creasing. One more important fac-

a population of 40,000 into a thriving metropolis in the making.

According to the real estate agent,

Companies like Bosch, Cocal

the major demand will be for villa

Cola, Wipro, Toyota, Kirloskar have

projects and budget apartments as

moved there or are in the process of

the villas projects are better suited

doing so. With land at just one

for the open lands in Bidadi. To

crore an acre, compared to Sarjapur

cater to the middle income popula-

Road which would cost three, it’s a

tion, affordable apartments are also

business bonanza for locals, happy

on growing demand.

to sell their land for huge profits to the multi-nationals.

Right now individual buyers are not reaching out to Bidadi but it is

Prasad C.T, owner of Hanu Reddy

the investors who are looking for

real estate agency said, “It will be a

land for layout. e current land

well organized town and will always

rates is approximately one crore per

have a possibility for growth of re-

acre and that is low as compared to

plant at Adugodi, of Bosch has

alty. It is expected for Bidadi to do

the other parts in Bangalore.

Builders like Confident Group,

tor is the land till Channapatna is

Puravankara and ETA Star Prop-

uneven and downstream; this may

erty Developers Limited have al-

be a hindrance in the real estate

ready begun their housing projects

business of this area.

in the area.

e industrialist is however happy

Ramprasad nagaraj, resident and

with the overall progress the town

industrialist in Bidadi said: “e

has made. “I have been living in

development in Bidadi has been

Bidadi since 1985 and it was not

uneven. Usually aer Diwali, a lot

until 2003 that we saw development

of projects come up in real estate

in Bidadi.

business but this year it was to be slow.

“Now we have a lot of educational institutions and industries in this

grown to its full capacity and con

“Even though it has been a slow

belt which is positive. ere was a

well as the approach to the town is

Investors are looking for plots, as

not accommodate further expan-

growth in Bidadi, it still sees a lot of

time there were only 2 banks here

good. With supportive policies for

in years to come it will reap better

sion. us shiing to a new loca-

development. e industrial devel-

now there are 16 branches of differ-

infrastructure development by the

benefits. Visionaries who invest in

tion

expansion

opment has picked up really fast in

ent banks in Bidadi, that itself

government Bidadi will attract

Bidadi will reap long term benefits,

potential for future is the call of the

Bidadi and has triggered the resi-

speaks of the forthcoming develop-

more builders.”

dential projects too.

ment. I am sure Bidadi will be

with

ample

as they will get better returns when

hour to cater to the rapidly growing

Bidadi, emerging to be the hot

the end users buy land from these

business needs.”

favourite among builders and

investors. Farmers are happy to sell

He added that apart from a signif-

Prasad C.T added that the connectivity in this area is good and it

equally developed as Bangalore city in the next 10 years.”

e Weekly Observer

ursday, November 14, 2013

Sneak-thieves in silver anklets snatch Sneha Bengani A gang of con artists used a baby to steal a box of silver anklets from an unwitting jeweller. e three men and two women asked to see anklets then hid a box of the silver chains.

Ramakrishna Shetty, the 75year-old owner of Sri Sai Jewelers at Bazaar Road in Ramanagra, was conned by the group of 4kg silver worth Rs. 1,25,000 in the afternoon of November 9. e incident happened at around 2pm, when his 35-yearold son Suresh had gone away to eat lunch. “ese people entered our shop on the pretext of buying jewelry. ey had a child in their arms.ey made me take out a few samples of anklets. One of them engaged me in a conversation while the others hid one of the boxes containing anklets in their clothing,” he said.

Mr. Shetty was the only person in the shop when the robbery took place.. His son and two female attendants had gone on a lunch break. “It was only at 5 in the evening that we realized that a box of anklets was missing. We looked at the CCTV camera

Sri Sai Jewellers, where the robbery took place on November 9 recordings of the day and confirmed our doubt,” said Suresh.

Sri Sai Jewelers sells silver ornaments exclusively and was inaugurated last month on October 6.

“We have filed a complaint at Ramnagra Police Station and hope to get those anklets basaid Suresh who worked as an employee in a jewelry shop in Bangalore before starting his own venture.

“A case has been filed under Section 380 of the Indian Penal Code. Since the jewelry shop had

a CCTV camera installed, the the has been recorded. We have acquired the footage as major evidence. It will also help in recog-

nizing the guilty,” said Naveen, a police constable at Ramanagra Town Police Station.

He believes that the thieves were not natives of Bangalore or Karnataka. “ey hail from the neighboring states. We have contacted the police stations of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu and have briefed them about the incident. We are hoping to arrest these robbers soon,” he said.

Suresh says robberies like the one in his shop are commonplace in Ramnagra. But he finds doing business in precious metals profitable as people never cease to buy them.

“If they want to buy gold or silver, they would do it without thinking about the money spent,” he said.

3

City NGO slaps legal case on BJP Shweta Nair A non-governmental organization filed a writ petition against the state of Karnataka on the forthcoming Narendra Modi rally scheduled for this Sunday.

In the petition, lodged on November 6, Dinesh Krishnappa Naik, state general secretary of the Human Rights and Non – Corruption Committee (HRNCC) has requested the state government to not hold the rally within the city limits, as it will lead to traffic issues. e Bharatiya Janata party organizers of the rally have estimated that around five lakh people will attend this gathering at Palace Grounds. ree lakh people have registered online for the Modi rally. “ere will be more registrations till November 16 and it is difficult to say how many more registrations we will be receiving,” said a

“We have acquired the CCTV footage as major evidence. It will help solve the case. We are hoping to arrest these robbers soon.”

spokesperson for the national party.

In 2008, Janata Dal Secular held a rally at Palace Grounds which blocked the roads for eight hours, disturbing the daily lives of the peo-

- Naveen, Police Constable, Ramnagra Police Station

ple in the city. e residents were upset with the traffic jams and congestion that was caused by the rally.

In restrospect to this case, Dinesh

Murdered after brawl over extra-marital affair Sneha Mejari

Naik filed public interest litigation in Karnataka High Court to address this issue but due to reasons un-

Manjunath, 40, a private bus agent

same business for several years.

help of the these four members..

known, he retracted the litigation.

A bus agent was allegedly mur-

was found dead near omas

Katle Manju, the main accused had

Also if we killed him, I would get all

“I have already filed a request at the

dered by his rival, with whom his

school in Bidadi on 26 March. Saro-

an affair with the second wife of the

the benefits from bus contracts and

high court for taking back our pe-

wife had an extra marital affair.

jamma, first wife of the victim filled

victim, Deepika. Manjunath had a

earn more profits.”

tition.

a complaint in Bidadi Police Sta-

fight with the accused when he got

Mr.V.B. Baskar, the investigating

e petitioner was uncooperative

tion.

to know about the extra marital af-

officer said; “We caught the Katle

aer the petition was filed,” said

fair and this severed as the main

Manju and Kumara at Udayaranga

Manjunath N.D, advocate for Di-

reason for murder.

Bus Stand. e accused had

nesh.

e victim’s body had marks of stabbing on his back and stomach, and his head was severally hit be-

Manjunath had two wives Saro-

dumped the murder weapon near a

However another spokesperson at

cause of which the victim had died

jamma was his first wife. Later on

pond which is seized now as evi-

the HRNCC denied retracting the

on the spot.

he married Deepika. He had a nine-

dence. We also have seized an auto

petition.

Aer investigating, police have

year-old boy Manu and a seven-

which was used to flee away by the

arrested Manjunath alias Katle

year-old girl Monika from his

accused to aer the murder.

Manju, 33, as a main accused. Ku-

second wife. Manjunath would si-

He added that there were two eye

Gandhi and Siddaramaiah had at-

mara, 32, Rajesh, 24 and Chelavu-

multaneously be with both wives.

raju, 22, are also arrested on murder charges.

Victim’s body at the crime site

“In 2005, we had organized a rally at Palace Grounds which Sonia

witnesses who gave police their

tended. It had caused a lot of traffic

Katle Manju in his statement to

statements which helped in inves-

jams in the city and so our party

police said; “I was scared when

tigation. e charge sheet had being

began organizing meetings and ral-

Anil kumar, circle-inspector at

Manjunath threatened to kill me in

filed on June 6th, 2013 and the case

lies outside the city since 2005,” said

Ramnagara said that the accused

front of everyone, so that is the rea-

is going on in the court. e next

C.M Lingappa, former MLA of

knew Manjunath as they were in

son I planned his death with the

hearing is on November 20th.

Congress.

e Weekly Observer

ursday, November 14, 2013

No safety kit at toxic plant as ‘hospital nearby’ Soumya Basu

Plastic industries in Kumbalgodu are violating environmental laws and safety measures for workers.

Kumbalgodu is an industrial belt on the outskirts of Bangalore.

Numerous plastic and aluminium industries are violating environmental laws in this area. ese industries are burning and dumping plastic in the open space outside. ese small industries mainly use plastic to make dust and this dust is used in manufacturing pipes and other plastic materials. e employees in these industries are directly exposed to plastic dust. Moreover plastic

contains polymer and phthalates which are very harmful. Phthalates are not chemically bound to the plastic polymer and so they can migrate out. Phthalates are responsible for lung diseases, and also diseases like infertility, miscarriage, premature birth and even cancer. ese workers are exposed to higher amount of phthalates every day, as they do not have any kind of safety measures, which make them more susceptible to these diseases. Prakash, a worker, said, “We do not use any kind of mask while working.”

Environmentalist Ullash Kumar said, “ese plastic industries are all illegal and they are run in small houses or units. ese in-

Industries illegally use dumped plastic harming the environment

Five men kidnapped a cab driver to know the whereabouts of a woman involved in chit funds.

Mahesh, a 25-year-old Maxi Cab driver, was allegedly kidnapped from Timber Yard Layout by a group of five men, aged between 19 and 20 years.

An FIR was registered by his father in Byatarayanapura Police Station.“His father Nagraj had filed the FIR on October 23 and on October 25, we found Mahesh,” said Lakshman.C, Sub Inspector at the police station. e kidnappers were caught on October 26. “All of them are taxi drivers who wanted to reach Bhagyamma, a 45-year-old woman who is involved in chit-

fund and supposedly has their money. ey thought that they could reach her through Mahesh and so they kidnapped him,” Lakshman.C said. e kidnappers were traced through mobile phones. When the sub inspector was asked how he managed to rescue Mahesh, he refused to give the details of the rescue operation. “I am supposed to file a charge sheet within 90 days. e case will go to court aer two months,” he said. “ey wanted to reach Bhagyamma and so they kidnapped me. I do not know where she is,” said Mahesh. Apparently the woman has a lot of money of the people who were involved in her chit fund schemes and is now missing.

NEWS BRIEF 7 killed as bus catches fire Seven people died and 40 passengers weret seriously injured as a Mumbai bound volvo bus caught fire in Haveri today early morning. e bus belongs to the Bangalore based National Travels which had 51 passengers on board. It le the city on Wednesday night, hit the side wall metal railings at around 2.30 am near Kunimelli bridge and caught fire.

Illegal plants in Kumbalgodo where plastic is converted to dust dustries burn plastics to make them finer and mix them with other plastic materials. Burning of plastic is very harmful for the body as it produces dangerous gas like dioxin which mixes with blood and is responsible for cancer.”

Not only plastic but Kumbalgodu even has aluminum industry which uses scrapped motor parts and melts them to make aluminum plates which is again used in the motor factories but they do not use any kind of safety measures while working in front of the fire. According to the workers they are not given any kind of

safety kits and so the chances of accidents are high.

Mr. Ganesh, a manager of one of the aluminum factories, said, “As we have hospitals nearby we do not use any kind of safety kit, and as the plant is situated in the ground floor we have very less chances of any kind of accident.”

He also added that, “We do not have any problem with the environmentalists.”

But Ullash Kumar said, “ese small aluminum industries melt old scrap materials which produces numerous harmful gases which are again harmful both for body and environment.”

Cabbie rescued after cops trace calls Sneha Bengani

4

When the sub inspector was asked about the details of the kidnappers, he said, “I cannot let you

know anything about them until a judgment is passed. ey are yet to be convicted.”

Search for Bhagyamma continues as Mahesh returns safe

Nawaz, 39, who has been working with National Travels for the last 20 years says this is the first time that one of their buses has met with such an incident.

“We have sent our people to the spot at Haveri to find out more about the aermath of the accident. e dead are yet to be identified. It is too early to quote the number of Bangaloreans among the dead. e dead bodies are yet to be identified,” he said.

A case has been registered in Bankapur Police Station at Haveri, a district in North Karnataka. R. S. Desai, Sub Inspector at Bankapur Police Station refused to comment on the case.

Dowry death A 19-year-old newlywed hanged herself four months aer her marriage fed up of the dowry demands by her in-laws.

Vidyashree was married to Nagraj, 25, on July 2, 2013. At the time of marriage Vidyashree’s family had given Nagraj and his family Rs.2, 25,000 and gold.

She hanged herself on October 21, 2013 in her husband‘s house at around 7.30pm.

Her father Shivarna, 40, registered a complaint at Kumbalgudu police station on October 22.

Following the complaint the police have arrested her husband, mother-in-law, Manch Amma, father-in-law, Venkata and two brother-in-laws, Kumar and Satish.

e Weekly Observer

ursday, November 14, 2013

5

Child labor rampant in the city of silk Vaishnavi J.Desai

from Mehboobnagar told the

A minor was rescued from a silk

KSPCR, that he couldn’t provide for

factory in Ramanagara where he

his son’s schooling due to poverty.

was found doing menial jobs for a

Akram Pasha wasn’t ready to en-

Minors rescued from child labor

therefore he went to the factory.

He was never sent to a school whereas his sister, Shafia (10) was

Shivpriya Jodha

studying in 5th grade.

Two twelve-year-olds were res-

roll Shadiq in a normal school sug-

Another fieen-year-old girl was

Shadiq Pasha (12) was working in

gested by the CWC and insisted

recently rescued from a silk factory

cued last month from a garage and

a silk factory in the city when he

that he admit him in a minority in-

by the District Child Protection

a brick factory by Ramanagara

was rescued by the District Protec-

stitution.

Committee.

Labour Department.

living.

Dinesh B R, project director for

tion of Child Rights department on

Shadiq gave wrong information to

Rashmi, case worker, District

June 10th, 2013. Shadiq was em-

the CWC about his parents’ where-

Child Protection Committee said:

child labour said “We were in-

ployed to do menial and hazardous

abouts. But aer being counseled

“e children do some menial jobs.

formed about Sakalain Ustad and

jobs. He was produced before the

by a case worker he told them the

Some of them are hazardous in na-

Chiranjeevi by a government

Child Welfare Committee. Akram

right address of his house. He also

ture as well. e kids have to stir the

school teacher and we immedi-

Pasha, Shadiq’s father, a resident

told them that he liked the job;

silk cocoons in boiling water and

ately rescued them and have filed

also collect the worms. e dark-

a case against the automobile

ness, the congested space and the

garage and brick factory.”

Sakalain Ustad, said: “I was

temperature is harmful for the children.”

working in Mohammed Nahim

She also said that there are chil-

cases in the year 2011-12, both haz-

auto garage to support my family.I

dren from rural as well as urban

ardous and non-hazardous. e

was rescued by the child labor de-

areas. Weaker economic conditions

fine collected over the four years

partment and have been enrolled

have prompted them to take this.

amounts to Rs. 2,75,000.

to the government school.”

Chiranjeevi, 12yrs said: “I

She said that women bring their

e rescued children include

new-born and toddlers to the fac-

those who have never received any

worked for the SBT brick factory

tory where they work and that too

formal education.

to earn money. My family could

is dangerous. Pregnant women too

ose kids are sent to a centre

not support my education but

owned by the CWC where they un-

aer the help from child labor de-

e district labor commissioner’s

dergo training in non-formal edu-

partment I can afford to go to the

survey provided the statistics. ere

cation for 18 months. Others are

school.”

were 12 cases of child labor of haz-

sent to mainstream schools.

work in these places.

Children working at a silk factory in Ramanagara

A minor rescued from factory

“I was happy and as an educated

ardous nature reported in the year

e children are also sent to Bal-

citizen it is my responsibility to re-

2013-14, the number of cases in the

akera Bala Mandira and Balakara

port child labor and help the chil-

year 2012-13 was 58, including 39

Bala Mandira in Bengaluru and

dren” said Meena Devi, a school

cases of hazardous nature and 208

Mysore for their education.

teacher who spotted the children.

Child marriage halted at the eleventh hour Suchitra Sharma

According to sources, Bharati was

city, child marriages have increased

e juvenile justice board man-

being married against her will as

from four to eight. Gulbarga divi-

aged to successfully prevent a

one of her parents was ill.

sion on the other hand, being less

child marriage in Ramanagara

Rashmi, a counselor at the Dis-

district on Sunday, November 10.

trict Child Protection Committee

developed than the other divisions has shown decrease in the trend

Bharati (16) and Girish (21) were

said “e boy was from Alasin-

e Prohibition of Child Marriage

supposed to marry on November,

ganahalli and the girl from Motta-

Act, 2006, says that any marriage

10. However the District Child Pro-

ganahalli; both of these villages are

solemnized of a female of less than

tection Committee intervened on

in Magadi taluk.”

18 years with a male of less than 21

the day of the marriage and was

According to the District Child

years of age would not be a void

successful in stopping it. e com-

Protection Committee, there have

marriage but a voidable one, but if

mittee was informed about the

been 31 cases of child marriages

no steps are taken to stop them

marriage by Revana Siddheshwara

from August 2012 till date in Ra-

then it becomes a valid marriage.

Mutt on November, 5.

managara district. In Bengaluru

However, boys and girls forced into

ey issued a notice to Bharati’s

too, the number of child marriage

the marriage have the option of

family on November 7 and later on

cases reported has almost doubled

cancelling the marriage.

November 10, they visited the mar-

in the last four years.

riage hall and stopped the marriage.

From 2009 to 2013, in Bangalore

Both the families couldn’t be contacted.

e wedding card of Bharati and Girish

e Weekly Observer

ursday, November 14, 2013

A ray of hope after a bleak past

Events Workshop

Tulana Nayak Suchitra struggles hard to pronounce the word ‘factory’ when asked where her mother works.

Just four, at an age when she is still learning to speak, she does not know her parents.

Her father is dead and she doesn’t even remember her mother’s name.

Two years ago, her mother le her at the Sneha Jyothi Orphan Children’s Home (SJOCH) because she could not manage the expenses all alone.

On National Children’s Day, the story is the same for millions across the country.

Being a labourer at a factory, she didn’t earn enough to raise two children and was forced to leave them at the orphanage.

Located on the outskirts of Bangalore and surrounded by lush green mulberry farms, Sneha Jyothi Orphan Children’s Home, in aghachikuppe, runs on minimum donations .

T.G. Murthy, Founder of Sneha Jyothi Orphan Children’s Home, laid its foundation in 2010. e

Murthy, Founder of SJOCH orphanage is now home to 30 homeless children.

In the initial years, the orphanage received sufficient funding but lately the money has dried up.

He said, “I know what it feels like to be without a parent. I lost my father at a very early age so I

6

Centerstage`s Film Acting Workshop by Film makers Saad Khan & Siddhanth Sundar. e Workshop will focus on important acting tenets, building a character from inception to realization.

Fee: Rs. 4500 per person From November 16, 4:30 pm onwards Venue - Alliance Francaise de

Children at Sneha Jyothi Orphan Children’s Home, abandoned by their parents, rescued by SJOCH wanted to help children like me.”

Samarthanam Disabled Trust in J.P. Nagar was an inspiration for him. e children now have a homely environment and psychological relief from their gloomy past.

Most of them are not even orphans; they are semi-orphans as Mr. Murthy said.

Neha and Rehan, who are siblings, were brought to the orphanage on November 10, 2013. eir parents are divorced now and their mother is not in a position to take care of them. She was forced to send them off to the orphanage. e irony lies in the fact that most of the children don’t even know the truth about their families or why they have been brought here.

Some of them have been comforted saying they were sent here for studies.

Mr Murthy said that the parents don’t have a choice; they have to tell a lie so that parting becomes easy for the children.

Nine-year-old Rehan said, “My mother told that I was sent here for my studies.” But in reality, it was extreme poverty that com-

pelled Rehan and Neha’s mother to part with her children, said Tejaswini, the eldest of all of the children.

Rehan has even been told by his mother that his father is dead.

Tejaswini, who is now 13, was brought to the orphanage three years ago along with her nineyear-old brother Revanna. eir father was an alcoholic and was untraceable for a long time while the mother was too ill to look aer them.

Seeing the family’s condition, an acquaintance brought them to the children’s home.

Sarasamma, 70, mother of Mr. Murthy, cooks for the children and Tejaswini helps her.

Sarasamma said, “She helps me in the kitchen but she is yet to learn.”

Arasu, 8, and Yogesh, 12, said that they like the food that Tejaswini makes and they consider her one of their caretakers apart from T.G. Murthy, Sarasamma and Sashi (caretaker at the orphanage).

Another child, Manjunath, 10, was brought to the orphanage aer the death of his parents. ey had had a love marriage but Manjunath’s maternal uncle murdered his father. Unable to re-

sist the shock, Manjunath’s mother consumed poison.

Manja, as the members in the orphanage call him, was a beggar.

Even his uncle abandoned him. A member from the orphanage brought him here.

Prashant, 11, was sold to a crook in Bombay who bought him for Rs 1000 to sell his eyes.

Father Prem Kumar, who is an acquaintance of T.G.Murthy, rescued and sent him to the branch of SJOCH at Bidadi.

All the children go to agachikuppe Government School.

Apart from this, the orphanage also teaches them extracurricular activities. ey are taught semi-classical forms of dance by a teacher from Udupi and Karate by Mr. Murthy’s son, T.M. David who is a Black belt.

Tejaswini said, “We are taken to the Primary Health Centre in Kumbalgudu for check up every week and sometimes even the doctor comes here to see us” ere is little that most of the 30 children here recall about their past lives. What matters to them now is their present.

Bangalore, Vasanthnagar

Music

Girish and the Chronicles who will be playing their first ScoreNight on November 15. ey are credited with bringing out a new voice to the quintessential Rock n Roll genre. e first 50 early bird tickets are for Rs. 200.

Venue - Bak Bak Bar, Koramangala Friday, November 15, 9:00 PM Onwards

eatre

‘Tughlaq’ is a thirteen-scene play about the turbulent rule of Mohammad Bin Tughlaq by Girish Karnad.

Tickets: Rs. 100 Venue - Ranga Shankara, JP Nagar On November 14 and 15, from 7:30 pm onwards

Observer Team: Editor - Sushmita Sen Chief Sub Editor - Vaishnavi J. Desai News Editors - Shweta Nair, Shivpriya Jodha, Raju Peethala, Sneha Mejari Sub Editors - Soumya Basu, Sureshkumar, Rahul Sadhu, Tulana Nayak Picture Editor - Prutha Subhash Bhosle Design Desk - Suchitra Sharma Proof Readers - Tanisha Das, Sreelakshmy Sivaram Reporters - Sneha Ghosh, Saikat Ghosh Social and Emergency Services - Sneha Bengani Email- editor@iijnm.org An IIJNM Publication (For Private Circulation)