VASCO: She was 12 years old when the Margao Police first saw her begging near Margao railway station. After her parents abandoned her at a tender age, she was adopted by a lady from Margao and since then she started living on the earnings of begging activity. However, five to six years back the Margao police found her begging and lodged her at Apna Ghar at Merces.
On two occasions in past she escaped from the controversial shelter-cum-remand home for juveniles — Apna Ghar — allegedly because she was unable to resist the torture and harassment there, but was again caught from Margao railway station area and the vicious circle continued.
Some two days ago, the girl, now 18 years old, was shifted to Siolim-based centre (IshKripaSadan) from Apna Ghar. However, this time she decided to go to her parents in Karnataka and voluntarily left IshKripaSadan on Monday and was again at Margao railway station. Fearing detention by police, she took a train to Vasco with the belief that she would easily board a train and would manage to meet her parents.
On Monday night Shabana was seen roaming in suspicious manner by some members of Vasco-based NGO “Savera’ at Vasco railway station. Upon inquiry she told all what had happened to her and why she escaped from Apna Ghar all these years. Tara Kerkar, chairperson of NGO Savera, took her to the Vasco police station and she was again sent back to the Siolim-based centre. However, before returning to Siolim Shabana decided to expose the brutal truth about the Apna Ghar before the media and her statement was nothing less than a shocker.
“I will prefer to hang myself but will not like to go back to Apna Ghar. This is not a safe home for juveniles or people like me. They abuse us with foul language, sometimes beat us with slippers, even the food is not provided properly. They used to keep us locked on a hungry stomach. Whenever they would want us for some work, like cleaning toilets or floor, then they use to bring us out and then we were again locked up after the work. It’s a hell and not any shelter or home”, Shabana told reporters at Vasco police station on Monday night.
“In name of entertainment we had four walls to see as we were treated like hardcore prisoners. Also if we get some injury while doing any work in the kitchen there is no one to take up our case and we are left to suffer pain and weep until the pain gets reduced. All our complaints fall on deaf ears and shoutings is the only thing we get in reply from them,” she added.
Tara of Savera said that, “It was very painful to hear her story and the ill treatment this girl received at Apna Ghar which is shelter-cum-remand home for juveniles. When we found her near the Vasco railway station, initially she was unable to express her pain and later during an interaction with her we felt that this home is no more a safe shelter for juveniles,” Kerkar said.
She further said that “Though we had heard and read about this controversial shelter-cum-remand home we were not aware that the inmates are made to perform all sorts of cleaning works, they are been abused and even beaten up. This is something very serious and concerned department needs to do something about such inhuman practice taking place at Apna Ghar. We have already asked the police to record her statement and we will then decide on future course of action” Kerkar said.