Runaway boy kicked by dad, slapped by cop
The 8-yr-old student of Mirambika School, who ran away to escape torture at home, faced more blows after he was found in Vatva
By Yogesh Avasthi and Dhwani Pathak
Shockingly, it was Kshitij’s (name changed) parents who asked the Naranpura cop to beat him in order to teach him a lesson.
The boy and his classmate had gone missing after school hours on Tuesday, triggering an intensive search by the police and school authorities. The kids, who had hopped on an AMTS bus, were spotted by a rickshawallah near Vatva GIDC. He dropped them home from where the boys were taken to Naranpura police station since an FIR was registered there.
She also boasts her son “obeys” her sometimes. “He will not even accept prasad from someone till I allow him to,” she said.
While next-door neighbours Kamleshbhai and his wife Shardaben see nothing wrong with corporal punishment at home, there are other neighbours who abhor it. They have witnessed the brutalities inflicted on the child by his parents several times in the past.
‘HIS SISTERS TOO HAVEN’T BEEN SPARED’
“When he came back from the police station on Tuesday night, his father kicked him in the stomach. Torturing him is an everyday affair at their place. Kshitij also has two sisters. But since they stay with their uncle, they are spared of the cruelty,” a neighbour said.
Another neighbour told Mirror: “Kshitij’s younger sister has also been hit many times. She has even come running to our house shouting ‘mujhe bachalo’.”
Violence seems to be the acceptable way of solving problems at the boy’s home. Last winter, he was made to stand outside his house in an underwear, just because he had not performed well in his exams. They make him read his textbook chapter aloud while they are sleeping. There’s more to the inhuman treatment meted out to him. He is not allowed to play with other children in the building.
‘THE BOY’S PARENTS NEED TO BE DISCIPLINED’
“We feel the parents need some psychological treatment. They have victimised the boy to such an extent that he doesn’t even cry or try to resist the beatings. His knees keep shaking. He does not react to anything they say or do,” a neighbour said.
Rajul Malik, professor in-charge at Kanorial Centre for Medical Education, urges parents to refrain from hitting children. She is of the opinion that corporal punishment, instills fear, not understanding.
“Considering the boy’s plight, the first thing that should be done is shift him to safe environs, away from the parents. He and his parents should be counselled. One should analyse the problems making the parents resort to beatings to correct him.”
By Yogesh Avasthi and Dhwani Pathak
Posted On Thursday, August 12, 2010 (http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article§name=News%20-%20Latest§id=2&contentid=2010081220100812033303563938cb2a7)
Can corporal punishment by parents get worse than this? The eight-year-old student of Mirambika School, who ran away apparently fed up with the frequent spankings at home, received a kick from his father and another sound thrashing from a cop after he was found. Shockingly, it was Kshitij’s (name changed) parents who asked the Naranpura cop to beat him in order to teach him a lesson.
The boy and his classmate had gone missing after school hours on Tuesday, triggering an intensive search by the police and school authorities. The kids, who had hopped on an AMTS bus, were spotted by a rickshawallah near Vatva GIDC. He dropped them home from where the boys were taken to Naranpura police station since an FIR was registered there.Kshitij’s neighbour Kamleshbhai, who supports the father’s method of disciplining him, told Mirror: “At the police station, we ensured he gets nice, tight slaps from the cops so that he does not repeat his act.”
However, inspector S D Patel denies the boy was beaten by any policeman. “Why should the cops touch the boy? It is his parents’ duty to discipline him, not ours.”
‘HE PROBABLY WANTED TO ENJOY A BUS RIDE’
His mother was nonchalant when asked what was the reason he left home. “Oh, that was because he enjoys a bus ride. But we get so worried because of his irresponsible behaviour. Also, he lies to people often. If he is beaten sometimes, it is because we love him and want him to behave properly. We even gifted him a computer recently. We are his parents, not enemies.”She also boasts her son “obeys” her sometimes. “He will not even accept prasad from someone till I allow him to,” she said.
While next-door neighbours Kamleshbhai and his wife Shardaben see nothing wrong with corporal punishment at home, there are other neighbours who abhor it. They have witnessed the brutalities inflicted on the child by his parents several times in the past.
‘HIS SISTERS TOO HAVEN’T BEEN SPARED’
“When he came back from the police station on Tuesday night, his father kicked him in the stomach. Torturing him is an everyday affair at their place. Kshitij also has two sisters. But since they stay with their uncle, they are spared of the cruelty,” a neighbour said.
Another neighbour told Mirror: “Kshitij’s younger sister has also been hit many times. She has even come running to our house shouting ‘mujhe bachalo’.”
Violence seems to be the acceptable way of solving problems at the boy’s home. Last winter, he was made to stand outside his house in an underwear, just because he had not performed well in his exams. They make him read his textbook chapter aloud while they are sleeping. There’s more to the inhuman treatment meted out to him. He is not allowed to play with other children in the building.
‘THE BOY’S PARENTS NEED TO BE DISCIPLINED’
“We feel the parents need some psychological treatment. They have victimised the boy to such an extent that he doesn’t even cry or try to resist the beatings. His knees keep shaking. He does not react to anything they say or do,” a neighbour said.
Rajul Malik, professor in-charge at Kanorial Centre for Medical Education, urges parents to refrain from hitting children. She is of the opinion that corporal punishment, instills fear, not understanding.
“Considering the boy’s plight, the first thing that should be done is shift him to safe environs, away from the parents. He and his parents should be counselled. One should analyse the problems making the parents resort to beatings to correct him.”
