Abandoned child labourers return to family as educated gentlemen after 18 years
They were cruelly abandoned when they were barely three and four years old but the gruelling twists and turns of their life in the last fifteen years have been finally taken Kumar and Rajkumar them back to where they originated- their mother and kin. Don Bosco Anbu Illam (DBAI), Salem where the boys were brought up facilitated the reunion on October 29.
The relation between Kumar brothers and DBAI, Salem starts from the year 2006 when during a raid, staff from Childline, Officers from the Anti-child labor department and other social workers found that there were more than 30 children working as child laborers in the silver anklet cottage units in Andipatti Panangadu area. Mrs. Suguna a Child Line staff rescued Kumar and Rajkumar. They were produced before CWC and were admitted in the DBAI, Salem as the first step of rehabilitation. Mrs. Krishna Kumari was the one who gathered all the information about these two little brothers. According to the FIR by the police, Kumar and Rajakumar were working as child labourers in Andipatti Panangadu and they could not recollect their parents or their whereabouts. Kumar and Rajakumar had stated that the owner of the silver anklet unit Mr. Selvam and Lakshmi his wife were their step parents.
In safe hands
DBAI, Salem which has been providing care and protection for hundreds of children in streets and orphans, ensuring their rehabilitation and the happiness, gave care and protection for the Kumar and Rajkumar. But at the same time, the staff continued to search for the parents of the boys. But there was not any breakthrough because the boys forgot their parents’ names and could not recollect their faces.
Education, progress and elusive search for parents
DBAI Salem sent the two brothers to school in Vinayagampatti Primary school. They studied there till their 5th standard. Later, they were changed to St. Paul’s higher Secondary School to complete their 10th standard. As they were studying, Childline staff kept on searching for their parents but did not succeed in the process. Both of them passed in their 10th public exams. Kumar was admitted in Trichy, Lalgudi, Don Bosco ITI and Rajkumar was admitted in PLP polytechnic college, Kuthenkuzhy. In the year 2019, Kumar completed his studies and joined for work in Hyundai Company in Chennai. Rajkumar has written his final examinations.
Search ends and boys return to kin as educated gentlemen
Search for the parents of the boys was initiated six times in the past fifteen years and the boys did grow wearied of not able to find their parents. But when the present Director, of DBAI, Salem Fr. Casimir Raj, took the search as one of the main tasks to be accomplished in the year 2020, he appointed Mr. Karthick as the staff in charge of searching for the parents of the boys. The search resumed October 16, 2020.
From Mrs. Suguna, and Mrs. Krishna Kumari the background information was collected an the search team went to Andipatti Panangadu whre Mr. Selvam was located. Currently sick and bed ridden, Selvam could vivdly and fondly remember Kumar and Rajkumar recollecting that the boys were four and three years old respectively when they were brought to him. They had worked in his house for three years. But he threw up his hands as regards to any knowledge about the children’s parents and tipped off the team that a person named Raja a relative had brought the boys. Raja was traced in Kanjamalai foot hills area from who when inquired by the team learnt that the boys were sons of his friend and it was his father Kaveri who brought the boys and pleaded that they may be disposed as the family could not afford to bring them up. From the information given by Raja, the team left to search for Mr. Kaveri in Salem, Tharamangalam. The team took Rajkumar and went in search of Mr. Kaveri, but found that he passed away ten years back.
The team tracked and enquired the four sons of the Kaveri and we got news that they were the sons of the old man’s eldest son’s wife’s younger sister Palaniyammal. To confirm the information the team, went to Chinnappampatti near Tharamangalam where Palaniyammal was residing and enquired the relatives and the people around the place and confirmed that she was the mother of these two boys. Their father had passed away due to sickness, and the boys’ eldest sister Selvi was residing at Erumapalayam in Salem . The team went directly to her and confirmed that these two boys were the brothers of Selvi. It was found that the native place of the father of these boys was Erumapalayam and Chinnu, their Uncle (father’s younger brother and all the other relatives are residing there in the same place.
Kumar, Rajkumar expressed willingness to reunite with their kin following which DBAI, Salem arranged the re-integration process officially through the District Child Welfare Committee.
On October 29 the family and relatives of the two boys including Selvi the elder sister, uncle (father’s brother), Sinnu and his wife Sambu were invited to DBAI, Salem. In the presence of District Child Protection Officer, Mrs.Uma Maheswari, District Child Welfare Committee Chairman, Mr.Das, District Child Welfare Committee Member, Mrs.Thamarai, Child Protection Officer, Mr.Prabu, Director, DBAI, Salem, Fr.Casmir Raj, Assistant Director, Rev, Selvakumar,
