Soil eating case: Panel dismisses media report; govt offers family support

The children were subjected to thorough health screening and Deepak said it showed two of them had chest infection and one infant displayed scabies-like symptoms.
Soil eating case: Panel dismisses media report; govt offers family support

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The State Child Rights Commission (SCRC) has termed as ‘baseless’ the media reports that abject poverty forced one of the children living in a shanty at Kaithamukku in the capital to eat soil. The Commission also blamed authorities of the Kerala State Council for Child Welfare (KSCCW) for wrongly interpreting the incident.

“Such false media reports emerged after officials of the state child welfare council, who saw the children playing with soil, thought one of them was eating it,” Suresh told mediapersons. He added such ‘reporting’ had brought ‘shame’ to the state.

Even as many government officials expressed doubt about starvation, the mother and six children were shifted to a child-care institution at Vellanad. Following the SCRC’s intervention, the family was issued a ration card on Tuesday.

KSCCW general secretary S P Deepak also demanded criminal proceedings against Kunjumon, the father, for physically and mentally abusing the mother and children. Mayor K Sreekumar offered the mother a temporary job at the city corporation and a flat to the family in city limits.

The children were subjected to thorough health screening and Deepak said it showed two of them had chest infection and one infant displayed scabies-like symptoms.

Meanwhile, Suresh said Sreedevi, the mother, told the Commission that her husband would go to work daily and bring food and provisions home, contrary to what media reported.

Action taken
Mother and six children shifted to a child-care home at Vellanad
Family issued a ration card
State child welfare council demands action against kids’ father for abusing them
The children undergo health screening

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