In a shocking incident, an FIR was lodged against the parents of an 11-year-old boy for allegedly keeping the child confined in an apartment with 22 stray dogs.
The horrific incident came to the fore when a local took notice of the child’s condition and informed the helpline number of Dnyan Devi Childline, an NGO providing emergency services for children.
Following the local’s statement, a case was registered with the Kondhwa police station under various Sections of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act.
Deliberating the sequence of events, Anuradha Sahasrabuddhe of Dnyan Devi Childline said that the informer narrated to them the deplorable condition of the boy who was supposedly kept confined in an apartment in Kondhwa. She also added that the concerned boy was often spotted by local residents at the window of his apartment and seemed to be mentally disturbed.
“Our social activists went to the spot. The apartment was found locked from the outside. But the boy and the dogs were inside the apartment. We also found four dog carcasses there. Even animal excreta were not removed from the apartment. The teenage boy was kept in very dirty conditions.” Anuradha Sahasrabuddhe was further quoted saying in a report by the Indian Express.
While shedding light on the incident, Sahasrabuddhe also alleged that they did not receive the desired level of cooperation from a section of the police. She noted that despite instructions from a superior to break open the door of the victim’s apartment, the policeman who accompanied the NGO workers to the apartment was reluctant to do so.
She also added that even after rescuing the boy, the police did not want to lodge a complaint in the matter. The case was then finally taken to the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) who then intervened and spoke with the police. The FIR was lodged Tuesday evening.
As per a report by Indian Express, the boy was kept with the dogs for almost two years which severely impacted his behavioral development. His schooling was also stopped as he started acting like a dog. Upon inquiry, it was further revealed that the father of the boy used to run a shop and the mother was a graduate. The parents said they love dogs and hence they kept the animals in their house.
Talking to the media, senior inspector Sardar Patil said that the Police may arrest the parents of the boy. The boy will be produced before the CWC and further action will be taken as per the directions of the CWC, the inspector noted.