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Boy's fingers severed as he makes rotis in Dongri home

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Doctors say the 13-year-old may lose his little finger on the right hand if it doesn’t heal properly
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A 13-year-old inmate of a state-run child shelter in Dongri fractured his fingers while allegedly being forced to cook in the facility. The boy was admitted to JJ Hospital in Byculla where he underwent a restorative surgery.

On December 14, the boy's right hand got trapped in the roti-making machine, grievously injuring his fingers. Before being taken to the hospital, shelter home staff warned him against disclosing the truth to the police.

"My hand was trapped in the roti-making machine while we were making rotis. After I injured my fingers, I was asked to tell the police that it had got stuck in the crevices of a door," said the boy.

Doctors said his fingers may have to be amputated if they failed to restore its function. "The boy's index, ring, middle and little fingers have been gravely crushed. Doctors have wired the crushed portion and plastered them. We may have to amputate the little finger if it does not heal," said Dr TP Lahane, dean, JJ Hospital.

The ill treatment of the boy has opened a can of worms. The Dongri shelter home has close to 400 juvenile inmates. There are separate sections for children in conflict with law and rescued children.

Shankar Jadhav, superintendent of Dongri home, said older children were being given two-hour work training, but younger children were not made to work.

Researchers, however, said children rescued from child labour or begging were being made to work in the shelter home regardless of their age.

"On many occasions, I have witnessed younger children making rotis in the kitchen or cutting vegetables. There are teams assigned for cooking, cleaning, laundry and other chores. Kids are even made to clean toilets.

Housekeeping and cooking staff are just for namesake; kids slave away," said Veena Sharma, social worker, Don Bosco Research Centre, Matunga.

Labour laws in India do not permit under-14 children to work. And United Nations Convention on Rights of the Child (UNCRC) does not allow children below 18 to practise any kind of work.

Meanwhile, police commissioner Rakesh Maria has ordered an impartial inquiry into the functioning of the Dongri home.

"If under-aged children are being made to work inside such homes, it's clearly a breach of law. An investigation has been instituted to check if child labour is being practised inside Dongri home. Police will question children and the staff to get to the root of the matter."

Jadhav said cook Vikram Khalambe had been suspended temporarily on charges of negligence during duty. "Khalambe was absent when the incident took place. He was supposed to supervise the kitchen."

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