Monday, March 29, 2010

One face of India.

Rescued minor gets marriage proposals
Mid-Day.com, Monday March 29, 2010, New Delhi
Life for a 15-year-old schoolgirl from the Jaldhaka area of West Bengal, who went missing in February last year, hasn't changed much. The seventh standard student was allegedly kidnapped by a woman from her village and brought to the Capital to be yet another face in the flesh trade.

The girl was rescued from one of the brothels of GB Road along with several others in November 2009. Her family is in the city for the last five months, but are yet to meet their daughter, who is currently being sheltered by the NGO Stop Trafficking and Oppression of People (STOP). What's more startling is the fact that the two men, who are allegedly involved in bringing girls from West Bengal to brothels in the national capital, are claiming the custody of the girl too.

"I have been getting calls from two people who were involved in bringing my daughter to the Capital. They call me repeatedly and tell me that they want to marry her. I know they will send her back to the brothel. I want my daughter to come back to me and continue her education. I hope I finally get the custody of my child. I am a poor man and have been putting up at various places in the city. I am left with no money. It's getting difficult to sustain each day in the city," said Lal Biswakarma, father of the girl.

Lal has submitted the girl's school and date of birth certificates along with other documents to the NGO, but hasn't got her back. "My daughter went missing last year. Initially we thought that a local boy had eloped with our girl. But later when the police investigated the case, they found out that the boy was still in the village and was not at all involved. Sometime later we got to know she was working in Delhi as a domestic help.

"We persuaded her to come back but she said she'll come back after a few months. She also sent us money during this period. It was only in November last year that we heard that she had been rescued from a brothel in the Capital," added Lal.

A member from Nirmal Chayya, a shelter home for the destitute, said, "There was some problem regarding the papers of the minor girl. We needed proper documents for verification. The girl's father has submitted some papers. Their case will come up for hearing soon."

Lal is in the city with members of an NGO from Siliguri, Kanchenjunga Relief Centre.

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