Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Jul 7: A cook-cum-vehicle driver working for a social service organization, Cards Samvedana, at Kankanady in the city placed a hot ladle on the right side of the neck of an inmate of the hostel on Monday July 6 morning. The boy was provided treatment at Wenlock Hospital here.

It is said that a ninth standard student aged 14 and a tenth standard student aged 15 were having a fight . The driver, after injuring the 14-year-old boy, even threatened the older student not to reveal this incident to anyone, it is gathered.

All the children of the child care centre had been asked to gather for the Yoga class at around 7.30 am on Monday. When the above two boys were having a fight on a trivial issue, the cook, disturbed at the sound, rushed to the spot and placed the hot ladle on the neck of the ninth standard student, as a result of which the skin got burnt and peeled.

The boy, said to be in need of special medical attention, rushed out out of burning sensation and pain. A woman named Chanchalakshi who was passing by, came to know about the incident after questioning the boy, and informed her younger sister, Bhavani Ameen, a home guard, over phone. Later, coordinator of Childline, Sampat Katti, and social worker of district children protection committee, Shivanand, provided treatment to the boy at Wenlock Hospital and temporarily shifted him to another Ashram.

It is said that Lingappa also led the other student to the Daivasthana and forced him to take oath not to reveal to others what he had seen. Childline staff explained that Lingappa told the boy that the latter would die by vomitting blood if he chose to reveal the truth. He also threatened that he would not be allowed to enter the hostel in such a scenario.

Childline staff now await directions from child welfare committee. Child Welfare Committee chairman, Nikesh Shetty, said that the police would be asked to initiate action against the guilty cook-cum-driver.