Making a major issue out of a minor problem

Three Kolkata girls, who arrived in Bangalore slightly over a month ago as part of a dance band (Dhamal No 1 Surabhi), were rescued from the clutches of an alleged trafficker, Shankar, by the Jayanagar police on August 30. The police said that Shankar was arrested on the charge of trying to force the girls into prostitution.

Suspecting that the trio–– Pujarani Singh alias Suma, Priyanka Das and Riya Das–– were minors, the police handed them over to the custody of the CWC which is mandated to take care of girls below the age of 18. Within a week after they were lodged at one CWC home, Chhaya Singh, who is Pujarani’s mother, and Subrata Das, who is Priyanka’s husband and owns a fish store in Kolkata, reached Bangalore to have the girls released.

Chhaya and Subrata (Riya is his sister-in-law) confirmed that the three girls were dancers and had come visiting Bangalore to perform on stage. Claiming that they had no clue how the girls, including Priyanka, who came with a one-month-old baby, fell into Shankar’s trap, Chhaya and Subrata said they were “caretakers” of the trio.

“We reached Bangalore with all the relevant documents to prove our relationship with the three. It has been over a month, but officers at the Women and Child Welfare Department are not releasing them. The officials believe the girls are minors and therefore continue to hold them at the home. I hope they change their minds, hand over custody of the three to us so we could return to Kolkata and celebrate Durga Puja,” a visibly worried Chhaya told Deccan Herald.

Chhaya and Subrata filed affidavits with the CWC on September 18, stating that the girls were majors and demanded their release from the home. Priyanka has not seen her one-month-old child because the CWC officials would not permit a baby into the home. So the child was handed over to Subrata who said it difficult for him to take care of the baby in the absence of his wife.

Subrata’s relative, Priya Acharya, said she submitted all documents, including Class X certificates, photographs and other papers that prove that the girls are adults.
The Jayanagar police conducted medical tests on all the three girls. According to Jayanagar Police Inspector C Gopal, the medical tests showed that Priyanka and Pujarani are aged between 21 and 23 years, but Riya is aged between 17 and 18 years. “Riya is a minor, while the other two are majors. We have sent the medical reports to the CWC. Now it is left to the committee to decide”, he said.

Inquiries revealed that the committee responsible for taking care of minor girls has not been reconstituted after its term expired in February this year. Only one person, who was appointed in-charge, was suspended for alleged misbehaviour with girls at the home.

Department officials said  the absence of the committee was the reason for the delay in resolving the issue over releasing the three girls.

An advocate, Ramappa, who has been engaged by Chhaya and Subrata to earn the girls’ release, argued that since the girls were adults, there was no need to approach the committee.

“The caretakers have come with valid voter identity and ration cards to prove that the girls are related to them and that they are their rightful guardians,” Ramappa said.