GUWAHATI, April 19 - The incident of a ten-year-old child allegedly beaten up �mercilessly� at a children�s home located at Sonapur has drawn sharp reactions from various quarters including child rights activists in the State.
The photograph of the child with marks of bruises evident in different parts of the body has also gone viral in the social media forcing Deputy Commissioner of Kamrup Metro Dr M Angamuthu to order an enquiry against the Sonapur-based non-governmental organisation, Society for Health and Education Development (SHED).
As per the complaint, an NGO worker had badly beaten up the child who is one of the boarders of the institute run by SHED.
Differently able children are provided shelter and education in the institute, said an official statement from the district administration.
Circle Officer of Sonapur revenue circle Dr Dhrubajyoti Hazarika visited the institute this morning. He examined documents of the NGO and looked into other aspects of the case.
After the enquiry, the Circle Officer lodged an FIR at Sonapur Police Station.
On the basis of the FIR, police arrested manager Hiranya Saikia, warden Santi Niketan Singh and cook Kishan Kumar of the NGO.
The district administration said that it will take stern legal action against the said NGO for inhuman behaviour with differently able children at the institution.
Meanwhile, Miguel Das Queah of UTSAH, an NGO working for child rights, has reported the matter to the Chairperson of the Assam State Commission for the Protection of Child Rights.
The Chairperson is expected to visit the child after her return from Lakhimpur.
Miguel, while taking strong exception to the incident, demanded strictest action against the culprits and stated that the incident amounts to gross violation under the Indian Penal Code, United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), Juvenile Justice and Ministry of Women and Child Development guidelines.