Source: Hueiyen News Service / Agency
Chennai, February 03 2010:
Three Manipuri children are still under the custody of Immanuel, head of an unregistered NGO, Reach Home Children Foundation, according to the 17 fellow Manipuri children who were rescued from his locked house in Sholinganallur on January 21 .
Immanuel is on the run.
The shocking information came to light after members of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), Manipur visited Chennai and interacted with the rescued children, who are currently lodged at a children's home in Kellys.
"They told us that Immanuel hid three of them in an almirah of the house when the police raided it.
That means there were 20 children in Immanuel's house when it was raided,'' said K Maharabi Singh, member of the Manipur CWC, on Tuesday.
The three missing children are Thamwar (7), Ngambar (9) and Serima (8) .
Maharabi requested Dr P Manorama, chairperson, CWC, Chennai to help trace them.
"Fearing Immanuel's wrath, the children didn't reveal this information to the CWC's Chennai chapter after they were rescued," said Maharabi.
However, police officials asserted that there were just 17 children at the Sholinganallur house when it was raided.
They ruled out the possibility of any child left locked in an almirah.
According to Maharabi, Herojit, a Manipuri, brought 20 children from Lourembam village, Manipur, to Chennai, promising their parents free education.
However, he left them under the custody of Immanuel, where the children were treated shabbily.
They were sexually harassed and malnourished for the last one year.
Some of those parents are in the city to take their children back home.
They came along with Maharabi's team.
However, one of the 17 children, Geeta, has already reached Manipur.
CWC members are also collecting details about another girl, Rose, who left the horror house some time ago unable to withstand Immanuel's harassment.
The children narrated the barbaric treatment they experienced at the hands of Immanuel and his son, said Maharabi.
Dr Manorama recorded the observation of Maharabi and forwarded them to the anti-trafficking wing, which is investigating the case.
All the children will leave for Manipur by rail on Thursday.
The CWC's Chennai chapter has requested the Southern Railway to bunch all of them in one coach to ensure safety.