Owner arrested for sexual assault
14 minors rescued
TEAM HERALD
PANJIM/MARGAO: Goa police busted a major child-trafficking ring after it raided a circus premises in Margao town on Saturday rescuing 14 minor boys and girls, and four adult children. Police say one of the girls was also a victim of constant sexual abuse for over a decade and it is probing whether others also faced the same ordeal.
Moonlight Circus owner Abdul Khan, 40, from Assam and his accomplice Virendra Chandra Mandol, 25, have been booked by women’s police station for raping a 14-year-old girl, whose revelations helped police crackdown on the organised racket. Whereas three others ~ Vijay Nikumb, Ram Prasad and Rohan Singh are charged with child labour, trafficking, bonded labour and other relevant sections of the Juvenile Justice Act and Goa Children’s Act 2003. The accused are also slapped charges under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.
“Six girls and eight boys, all below the age of 18 years and four adults who were employed when they were juveniles, have been rescued during the raid jointly carried out by Crime Branch and South District Police,” Deputy Inspector General of Police Dr O P Mishra told a press briefing at police headquarters on Saturday evening.
The officer confirmed the rescued victims were sold to the circus owner when they were barely one or two years of age, allegedly by their respective parents.
The expose was possible when the sexual abuse victim, who was sold to Khan at the age of one-year, along with two other girls had escaped from Margao and landed in Thane in Mumbai on their way to Howrah (West Bengal).
“The three girls had jumped off the tin tent and escaped from Margao circus premises in January. She (whistleblower) fell off the train and was rescued by Mumbai police. During counselling sessions by a Mumbai-based NGO International Justice Mission she disclosed the horrific experiences of the girls in Moonlight circus. The Mumbai Child Welfare Committee recorded their statements,” the officer, in the presence of SPs Vijay Singh and Kartik Kashyap who led the raiding teams, said.
Subsequently, Goa counterparts were informed about the case following which the local police planned a raid under strict security to ensure victims are safe. Mishra said the teams also comprised of local forest and labour departments.
“The girls also disclosed they were repeatedly tortured and exploited. They were often guarded by a group of men so that they don’t escape…,” the senior IPS officer said adding, “Most of them don’t remember who their parents are or exact residential addresses. It is a herculean task to identify their blood parents… they were employed at hazardous industry.”
The only information about the rescued victims is that they hail from north eastern states, Assam, West Bengal and Odisha. Kashyap said the victims will soon be subjected to bone ossification test to determine their exact age and other medical examinations.
The circus originally hails from Assam and travels across the country. After its recent shows in Mapusa it had moved to Margao from where it was supposed to leave for its next stop Kudal in Maharashtra. Police will now contact its counterparts to get antecedents of the accused. Khan’s older brother is reportedly involved in another crime back at their native village.
The circus has employed seven Kenyan girls, who police say, hold valid employment visas and are major in age. Forest officials were roped in since animals also perform at the circus.
Earlier during the day, three bus load of policemen led by Crime Branch, SP Karthik Kashyap, district police chief Vijai Singh and Margao DySP Mohan Naik descended at the Circus venue near the wholesale fish market at around 10.30 am after the 14-year-old minor girl complained to the police in Panjim alleging sexual assault by the owner some time ago.
“We have conducted the raid on the circus based on the complaint received from the minor girl. The Crime branch has arrested the owner for rape, while the Margao police has arrested the manager, cashier and an agent under various Acts, including the Bonded Labour Abolition Act”, SP Crime Kashyap told the media at the South Goa district headquarters on Saturday evening.
South Goa SP, Vijai Singh told the media that the police has acted against the circus management after verification revealed that minors were employed in the circus.
When contacted, DySP Mohan Naik said the six rescued minor girls will be subjected to medical examination later in the evening and will be produced before the Child Welfare Committee, South before lodging them in Apna Ghar.
Replying to a question, DySP Naik said the Kenyan nationals were rounded up for the verification of their travel and other details and were left off after the police found they had all the requisite documents. The Kenyan nationals had bitterly protested their detention when they were being taken from the circus venue to the Margao police station and had disclosed plans to take up the issue with the Kenyan Embassy in India.
Investigations are on.
