Forced to beg by father, 13-yr-old gets help

The child welfare committee (CWC) has decided not to send the 13- year-old girl, Rakshitha (name changed) who was allegedly asked to beg in front of a temple by her own father, Prabhu Swamy alias Prakash, in Mysore until a full report is submitted.

Swamy on Monday had allegedly forced his daughter to beg near a Chandramouleshwara temple in Ontikoppal near Kalidasa Road in Mysore, which was noticed by passers-by who reported the matter to the police. The commission is now planning to hold a home inquiry into the case on Thursday, to ascertain whether Rakshitha would be safe if sent back to her father.

Speaking to DNA, NT Venkatesh, chairman of CWC, said, “We are not sure if we should keep the child with the rest of the children as she says she wants to return to her father. We have counseled her and she seems to be stable. We took her to the school as she had exams and she has done well.”