Excerpts:
"A Class 10 Student of a private school in Avalahalli police limits,
the girl sent a letter for help ... through her school and a school mate who helped
her passing on the letter to her own father (who) thought it best to report to the school
principal Fr M U Paulose and informed the media. Without wasting time,
the duo went over to the shelter and questioned Samuel, which is when he
confessed asking for forgiveness.
Fr Paulose immediately took the girl (who wrote the letter) and 7 others
in his custody and asked them to shift to the school hostel.
"Fr Paulose, after taking charge of the 8 girls, took them to the
Avalahalli police station and gave a written intimation to take care of
the girls along with the copy of the girl's letter.
"When there was no response from the Avalahalli police station,
they went to the Kothnur police station to file a complaint ... the sub-inspector Byra said that the case cannot
be taken up because it is not under their jurisdiction. They were asked
to contact the Bagalur police station with an assurance of sending two
policemen to inspect the shelter.
The response from the Bagalur police station, brought a ray of hope, but
was short-lived. P A Hegde, the station inspector came to the site,
went through the trust and audit documents that Samuel provided him and
let him go, asking him to come to the police station with the documents
the next day.
"The police said that all the documents were genuine and the shelter
was registered.
He further demanded that the original complainant (Fr Paulose) should
come over to the police station and file a complaint, adding that the
victims should also be ready to come to the court and give statements.
"Disturbed by the brushing-off act by the police, police commissioner
Raghavendra Auradhkar was informed. Surprised at the police's delay in
such a case, he immediately directed the Bagalur inspector to take
action at the earliest. On Tuesday, 6 August the police, along with CWC
workers finally came cracking on the shelter. On thorough investigation,
it was found that children were illegally kept and the records were
haphazardly maintained.
Samuel, however, denied all allegations and said that the girls left
because they complained of the food. However, interrogating the rest of
the girls proved otherwise as all of them related the same gruelling
experience as that of the girl. Samuel was immediately arrested."
Click here for full report by Bangalore Mirror , 7 August 2013
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