In Kalburgi district’s Chittapur taluk, a 10-year-old girl was rescued from the Devadasi system in July this year. Taking into cognizance the prevalent practice, the Karnataka State Human Rights Commission has written to the Inspector General of the district seeking a report.
According to a report by Deccan Chronicle, the KSHRC has written to the IG North-Eastern Range and Deputy Commissioner of Kalburgi and has requested the authorities to submit a detailed report within six weeks.
The commission has noted the inaction of the Kalburgi District Child Welfare Committee to study the prevailing problem of Devasasis even after the girl’s parents and the temple priest in Mavinsoor village were arrested.
The KSHRC, however, has mentioned that although the rescue took place over a month ago, the committee has not visited the village where newly-initiated Devdasis are allegedly living, the report adds.
However, a member of the Kalburgi CWC, told TNM that that the committee had planned many more rescue operations as they suspected a few more girls to be lodged in the system.
“It is not inaction but we have to be careful with such cases, or the culprits will walk free. Even if they get the slightest hint of a rescue operation, they become extremely cautious and we will not be able to catch them. Hence we are waiting for the right opportunity,” Vittal Chikkani added.
On July 16, the parents of the girl child were arrested for forcing their daughter to become a Devadasi. Apart from the parents of the girl, a 70-year-old temple priest was also been arrested in the case, TNM had reported.
Thee girl child was forced to become a Devadasi five years ago, when her parents, distressed at her chronic illness, approached the temple priest Sharanappa for remedy.
Kalaburagi District Child Welfare Committee (CWC), Child Helpline and officials of the Department of Women and Child Development, had earlier in June, rescued the girl, after they received information that she was to be sent off with a man.
Sharanappa, who had claimed that he had facilitated many girls to become Devadasis over the past few decades, tied a mangalsutra around the girl's neck.