Police rescue mortgaged child after 3 years

Kendrapada, Oct 13 (UNI) An eight-year-old boy, forcefully mortgaged for last three years in the custody of a woman, was finally rescued by the Mahakalapadsa police bringing cheers to the poverty stricken parents at the seaside Arunanagar village in the district.

According to Mahakalapada police station in charge Rashmi Ranjan Sahu one Devi Prasad Nayak, a resident of Dakhinidiha tied knot with one Swarnaprava Nayak, a resident of Gogua under Mahakalapada police station eight years back.

Driven by abject poverty, the couple came in contact with one Sati Mallick, a resident of Arunanagar, under Mahakalapada police station who provided financial support for about four months but in return allegedly forced Swarnaprava to join flesh trade in the port town Paradeep.

When Swarnaprava refused to work as a sex worker, Sati demanded Rs 20,000 which she claimed had spent on the couple. She then forcibly took the couple's son in her custody and said the son would be released only after her money was paid back.

Finding no other option, Swarnaprava filed an FIR with the Mahakalapada police station in 2005 against Sati Mallick alleging that the woman had forcibly took her son as mortgage, police said.

Mahakalpada officer in charge said the police on many occasions had raided the house of Sati but failed to locate either her or rescue the child.

However, on Saturday night, the police managed to rescue the child but failed to arrest the woman as she was not present in her house at Arunanagar.

A case has been filed against Sati Mallick under sections- 342 and 502 of Indian Penal Code, sections- 7, 8 and 10 of Bonded Labour Prohibition Act and sections 6 and 8 of Child Labour Prohibition Act.

The rescued boy was produced in the court of Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate (SDJM) at Kendrapara on Saturday and later handed over to the parents.

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