By Anil Sharma, IANS,
Barmer (Rajasthan) : He cries every day to be taken back to his mother, but eight-year-old Salman’s pleas fall on deaf ears at the children’s reform centre in Barmer district that has been his home for over two months.
He had run away from his father in neighbouring Gujarat and was brought to the centre after being found roaming near a railway station near here. The centre is otherwise meant for teenagers aged below 18 who are found involved in criminal activities, say sources.
“The reform centre is run by the state government’s social justice and welfare department. Salman was brought here June 23 after he was found unattended and roaming suspiciously near Balotra railway station,” a senior administrative official told IANS on condition of anonymity.
Salman says his father, who lives in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad town, had slapped him one day because of which he left home and went to the railway station. He climbed onto a train and hid in its toilet and the train brought him to Balotra.
“Salman claims that his mother lives in Ajmer town. He is insisting that he should be taken to her,” said the official.
Salman now weeps throughout the day requesting officials to get him out of the reform centre.
“I want to go back to my mother….I request the authorities daily…I know that my mother lives in Ajmer, but I don’t have her postal address,” Salman says with tears rolling down his cheeks.
Officials at the centre say they intend to take him, but it is yet to happen.
Sources said there is only one other child at the reform centre who was detained by police on charges of smuggling.
“Salman is getting food twice a day, but he has got no one to play with at the centre. He is not allowed to go out. The centre is guarded by security personnel,” said the officer.
Sources added the reform centre authorities have yet not made any efforts to contact his parents.
“He is telling the names of his parents, but they are yet to be contacted,” sources added.
(Anil Sharma can be contacted at [email protected])