Dimapur, June 5 (MExN): The Naga Christian Fellowship of Hyderabad and Naga students of Hyderabad Central University on June 2 visited the twenty-two child laborers from Nagaland, rescued by the police recently from Miryalguda, Andhra Pradesh.
The NCF said to have visited the children “so as to assess the situation first hand and to make sure that the children were in good hands.” Hyderabad NCF pastor Zajamo Odyuo stated in a communiqué today that the team met with the rescued children, police and administrative officials, and also those in police custody. The persons accused of forcing the children into labor, one Asuina from Tamenglong and her husband, a native of Rajasthan, were also met with. Asuina used to work as a teacher in Srinivasanagar Orphanage School at Miryalguda. “What came to light in the course of the visit was a shocking story of deceit, abuse and ill-treatment,” the NCF said, narrating the plight of the child laborers.
On arrival, the NCF informed, there were altogether 22 children ranging from 8 to 15 in age. There were 9 girls and 13 boys, all hailing from Samzuiram village under Peren district. There were also two other boys with them, one Amon and a Kambui, who had arrived from Nagaland on May 12 to take the children back after having heard of their appalling living conditions. The NCF and students’ team learned that there were two other boys missing from the group.
On interrogating Asuina and her husband, it was learned that the boys were in the house of one Pastor Krupadana in the town of Eluru. Prompt arrangements were made for them to be brought back and they joined the group on June 3 just in time to board the train home.
The team was told that a certain Dr. Henri Rongmei and one Sarah Thankhul, both from Tamenglong in Manipur, convinced the Pastor of Liangmai Baptist Church of Samziuram village that there was a good prospect for children to receive ‘free education, free accommodation, free clothing and a scope to pursue theological studies under the care and guidance of Evangelical Association for Revival Education’ (EARE). EARE is said to be a Tenali-based NGO under Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh.
Accordingly, the pastor announced in the church making a call to parents who wanted to avail the opportunity and some parents decided to take the opportunity. After registering their names, the children were given ‘injections’, while an amount of Rs.4000 each was collected from the parents as first installment, along with Rs. 300 as charge for the ‘injections’. It was alleged that Rs.1500 was again collected from the parents after two weeks. The children were then taken from Samziuram village on March 2 by Dr. Henri and Sarah to Purana Bazar in Dimapur and from there they boarded the train to Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh.
They reached Vijayawada on March 7 and from Vijayawada they were taken to “the Gypsy School” in Srinivasanagar at Miryalaguda in Nalgonda district of Andrha Pradesh. From there four girls and a boy were shifted to the NGO promoter’s house in Tenali. The NGO promoter one Sudheer Kumar is said to be abroad. Another two boys were taken to one Pastor Krupadana’s house in the town of Eluru.
While 17 kids were rescued from the Srinivasanagar Orphanage School at Miryalguda, police also raided the house of the NGO promoter, and rescued five more children. They were brought to Miryalguda Children’s Home, while two others were rescued from Pastor Krupadana’s house in Eluru.
“The children allege that ever since they arrived they were not provided proper food or rest and they were treated harshly. The girls were made to do household chores and the boys were made to work in the construction site of the school, and steal firewood and vegetables for cooking. No medication was given during illnesses, and to top off this lack of care, the children were often subjected to physical abuse by being burned with cigarette butts, pricked with pins, and whipped with belts,” the NCF related.
The team on behalf of Nagas in Hyderabad lauds Tehsildar CH Srinivas, Revenue Divisional Officer D Sanjeeva Reddy, Sub-inspector of Miryalguda sub-division under Nalgonada district E Ravinder and the District Collector and DSP of Guntur, research scholar Tajuddin and all who contributed to the cause of the children. The team also expresses gratitude to the Deputy Commissioner of Peren district for assisting them to meet the rescued children and for his help in finding the two missing children. The Team thanks the NCF of Hyderabad for financing the trip to Miryalguda and back.
