13-yr-old girl in BC hostel injured, staff deny abuse

VELLORE: A single mother, who admitted her 13-year-old daughter to the government BC hostel at Anaicut for safety had to take her back when hostel staff in a fit of rage twisted the girl’s left middle finger, recently.

Nirmala of Puliankannu village in Ranipet district admitted her daughter to the BC hostel at Anaicut 20 km from Vellore this June. However, Nirmala said, “My daughter complained that she was being made to sweep the premises daily. However, one day when she was sweeping a frond from the coconut broom fell to the floor, which enraged one of the staff that she caught hold of my daughter’s left middle finger and twisted it resulting in swelling immediately. She would also be beaten for small misdemeanors.”

Enquiries revealed that the girl hid her finger injury when she went to school and when questioned by teachers she stated that she was bitten by a ‘kambili poochi’ (blanket worm in English).

One of the teachers informed the girl’s mother about the injury as she want not treated for long and Nirmala went to the hostel, demanding an answer. When no proper reply was forthcoming from the staff, she took her daughter home. “My daughter was examined by a doctor in SIPCOT area and I have now admitted her to a school in Arcot,” Nirmala told DT Next. She also said that in addition to denying the incident, there was a move to cover up the issue.

Vellore district Backward Classes officer Seetha said, “I conducted an enquiry with the concerned staff and took their statements in writing. The hostel staff denied Nirmala’s charges. I have submitted my report to higher authorities.”