The Divyang girl child, aged about two to three, who was rescued from the Chitrakonda forest in Malkangiri district five days ago, was handed over to the district administration on Monday.
It is yet to be ascertained who had left the child in the jungle, leaving it to its own fate.
As per the reports, while Sukaldei Hantal and Manguli Majhi, residents of the locality, were going to catch fish, they spotted a girl child sitting under a tree in the jungle near Dyke-3. Thinking it to be unjust to leave the child alone in the jungle, they took her back to their house and took care of her.
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As no one turned up to claim the child, they took it to the district Collector’s grievance cell.
“On that day we found the child sitting under a tree. We took her to our house. We don’t know who the child’s parents are,” said Sukaldei Hantal.
Echoing Sukaldei’s words, Manguli Majhi said, “As we can’t bring up the child, we handed her over to the Collector. Now he will decide her future.”
Meanwhile, the district Collector directed the district child protection officer (DSPO) to ensure the proper upbringing of the child.
“They (Sukaldei Hantal and Manguli Majhi) rescued the girl child from near the Dyke-3 of the river under Chitrakonda block. They also don’t know who the child’s parents are. We will inform the police and file a missing report. As per the direction of the district social security officer, we will keep the child in an organisation meant for Divyangs,” said Narayan Das, DCPO, Malkangiri.