K’taka HC orders govt to send 22 children back to Meghalaya

SHILLONG, April 10: The Karnataka High Court has ordered the state authorities to airlift 22 children staying in a children’s home in Bengaluru back to their homes in Meghalaya.
The directive follows a food poisoning incident in a school that took the lives of two children, while several others had to be hospitalised.
Justice M Nagaprasanna issued the order while disposing of a writ petition filed by 23 individuals, who sought the immediate release of their children from government custody and their return home.
The incident in question took place on March 16 during Holi celebrations at the Gokula Educational Trust in Bengaluru. Food served during the event allegedly caused poisoning, leading to the death of two children and the hospitalisation of many others.
Following the incident, the state took custody of 22 children and placed them under the care of the District Child Protection Officer, Rashmi S, according to the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.
The petitioners contended that, as the parents are now willing to take custody of their children, there is no further need to keep them in institutional care.
Taking into account the arguments from both parties, the court instructed the Child Welfare Officer of Karnataka to accompany the children to Meghalaya and formally hand them over to the Child Welfare Officer there, with a proper transfer report prepared.
The court further directed the Meghalaya Child Welfare Officer to verify the parents’ identities before reuniting them with their children. It also emphasised that the necessary approval for airlifting the children should be granted without delay.
Additionally, the court said the parents arriving in Bengaluru should be allowed to meet and interact with their children before the airlift and permitted to accompany them on the journey back home.