Gokulsri a 17 year old boy was living at kuppaimedu , kannadapalayam, Tambaram , Tamil Nadu with his widowed mother Priya. On 29/12/22 he was arrested by Railway Police for a theft case of stealing a battery. On 30 th December he was handed over to Government Observation Home, Chengalput since he was a minor boy. On 31stDecember Gokulsri was admitted in Chengalput Government hospital stating that he had vomiting, diarrhea and seizures. The doctors declared that he was brought dead. This information was communicated to Gokulsri’s mother Priya. The grief-stricken mother made a complaint to the District Collector and Superintendent of Police. The officials from the observation home kidnapped Priya and threatened her not to make it as an issue. The Child Protection Officer Sivakumar has also threatened Priya.
Gokulsri was tortured, beaten up by the staff of observation home and he passed away on 30 th December 2022.The autopsy report clearly indicated very severe physical torture. The six staff of the observation home are arrested. But people who are involved in kidnapping and threatening the mother should also be arrested. Action should be taken on Ms. Valrmathi, Director of Social Defence who did not take action on the report given by the Deputy Director earlier.
There has been many incidents of custodial torture and torture of children in observation homes in Tamil Nadu. Action should be taken at all levels to make observation homes as safe spaces for children. Torture of children in correctional homes should be treated as a serious Human Right/ Child Right violation and all measures should be taken to eradicate the issue.
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