VIBHA VERMA
PANJIM: A minor who blew the whistle on the nexus between the Apna Ghar caretakers and gangsters who used to smuggle children out from the home, has been ‘missing’ for over five months now.
What is even more shocking is that the state police has paid no heed to the complaints made to them by the whistleblower’s family despite the minor being brutally attacked before he went missing.
The 17-year-old had exposed the racketeers involved in smuggling children from Apna Ghar and pushing them into crime. An alleged gangster and a caretaker were arrested in the past after police probed the nexus.
“I filed two separate police complaints at Canacona and Margao police stations. But everything went in vain, he was not found. I am worried because he had exposed such a big criminal activity in Apna Ghar,” the mother of the minor told Herald.
She claims the police show no interest, despite the fact that her son had shown courage in the past to take on the criminals intruding into the secured complex of the shelter-cum-remand home and who were brazenly involved in the nexus.
The teen, whose name cannot be revealed due to his age, had left for his friend’s place on December 12 last year and never returned. “I had secured his custody from South Goa Juvenile Justice Board (JJB),” the mother said.
Life was hell for the teen when he moved out of Apna Ghar. The whistleblower who ideally would have won bravery awards was brutally attacked and thrown in the ditch to die.
“His ear suffered major cut in the scuffle. The matter was reported to Canacona police. After investigations the culprit was arrested and set free,” the mother rued.
Her son didn’t have much of a criminal background as he was put in Apna Ghar at the request of his own mother, after he stole money from home to buy a second motorcycle. The motorcycle was also stolen from somewhere and sold to him. This was the time when he was also working part time on a private bus plying between Margao and Panjim.
The teen had dared to give a statement before the government authorities who were left shocked after the nexus was exposed. He had disclosed how cell phones and Facebook accounts were used to get the gadgets required to execute escapes.
He had also revealed that once even a gas cutter was arranged to cut the grills of a window. “Caretaker Videsh (Mandrekar) and Jaiprakash was giving us cell phone to use to connect with our’s friend. Videsh would also make teens at the home to fight with each other by telling tales…” he had said in a statement, a copy of which is with Herald.
Non-governmental organization Stop Child Abuse Now in April had written to
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and Director General of Police Kishan Kumar to put out an SOS look out for the boy. The South JJB had thereafter taken cognizance of the case.
Margao PI Sudesh Naik said the missing information has been flashed to police counterparts in Karnataka and Maharashtra. “We are in regular touch with the family. Efforts are on to trace him,” he told Herald, when contacted.
The mother of the minor said she filed two separate police complaints at Canacona and Margao police stations… but everything went in vain, he was not found, I am worried because he had exposed such a big criminal activity in Apna Ghar
