CWC grants conditional custody of Odisha girl to grandparents

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Balasore, Oct 15:

Rejecting the plea of the father, the district Child Welfare Committee in Odisha’s Balasore town today granted conditional custody of the four-year-old girl to her paternal grandparents.

The minor girl was rescued from the confines of her home at Kalarahanga on the outskirts of the capital city three days ago.

The plea of the girl’s father was rejected because the resignation of the father has not been approved by the private organization he works for, in Rourkela.

Meanwhile, the girl is being guided by a CWC counselor. She seems to be in a sound state of mind and health.

Earlier in the day, an official of the CWC, Bhubaneswar had accompanied the parents of the girl to the CWC office in Balasore. A day after the girl’s father confirmed that he would quit his job to be a stay-at-home parent for his daughter, CWC, Bhubaneswar released the girl into the charge of its counterpart in Balasore, where her paternal grandparents live.

According to the CWC rules, an application from the paternal grandparents or uncle and aunt had to be submitted for the custody of the girl. The CWC will not allow the parents to take her as she was neglected on her mother’s watch. Upon submission of such an application, the authorities will investigate the living conditions and capability of the said relatives and approve it, if found favourable.

This 4-year old girl was rescued by the Ruchika Childline and Mancheswar police after she was heard crying in a locked house by a neighbour. She was locked in the house by her mother who works in a private hospital in Bhubaneswar. The 30-year old mother would unlock the door after returning from work in the evening. Her father was working for a private firm in Rourkela. This practice was on for the last seven months.

The CWC filed a complaint against the parents in the local police station for alleged negligence in care and compromising the security of the child due to confinement.