Basic dal-rice was their diet
Kids trafficked when they were infants
VIBHA VERMA
vibha@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: The police raid on Moonlight Circus in Margao on Saturday opened up chilling facts on life outside the ring, which till now appeared to be a perfect ‘balancing’ job.
Eighteen children who were rescued, of whom six are minor girls and eight underage boys, divulged the entire ordeal they suffered from the accused until their rescue.
The police officers said the children were trafficked when they were as young as one-year-old. The girl, who blew the lid of trafficking and sexual abuse, was sold to the circus owner at the age of one year.
The police are expected to contact their counterparts in Assam, West Bengal, Odisha and some of the north-eastern states for details of the victims, from where they possibly hail as well as criminal records of the accused. “We will get a background check of the accused done by contacting our counterparts. We can share more details only thereafter,” DIG Dr O P Mishra told Herald, when contacted.
According to reliable sources, the victims – belonging from underprivileged family background – were forced to work atleast 20 hours a day without proper diet. “They would start practicing as early as 4 am until the show timing at 10 am from when their performance would begin. They were allowed to sleep only for four hours from 12-midnight to 4 am. Their meals comprised of dal-rice and pickle or chilly. They were not given breakfast,” a senior police officer revealed.
The victims are presently lodged at Apna Ghar, Mishra said.
NGO ARZ that coordinated with the police-forest-labour department teams during the raid is expected to write to the concerned authorities in the State and Central Ministry regarding the safety of the victims.
“We will involve the State machineries and write to Goa police and Women and Child Development Secretary in Goa to ensure the children are not released without their proper home verification is done… The victims were working in hazardous industry. Their exact residential addresses and whereabouts of their parents is still a mystery,” ARZ Director Arun Pandey said speaking with Herald.
He explained that as per section 79 of JJA, which relates to the transfer of a child, it is mandatory to confirm their native place, family, whether the family is fit and ready to accept the child. “Only then the child can be given to his or her family,” he added.
The NGO will also seek permission from the State government to interact with the victims on regular basis in Apna Ghar. Pandey said they will also write to Central Ministry of Labour and Employment, Ministry of Home Affairs and Women and Child Ministry regarding the issue.
Accused get 5 days police custody
MARGAO: The three persons arrested by the Margao police in connection with the raid on Moonlight circus on Saturday have been remanded to five days police custody.
DySP Mohan Naik informed that the trio, manager, accountant and the agent, who were arrested for bonded labour and other provisions of the IPC, have since been remanded to five days police custody.
He said the Margao police will take into custody the circus owner, who is presently in the custody of the Crime Branch, following his arrest in the rape of a minor girl.
