Thiruvananthapuram : A four-member police team arrived at Thampanoor railway station at 10:30 pm on Sunday with the 13-year-old Assamese girl who had gone missing from her home in Kazhakkoottam and was later traced at Visakhapatnam. Upon arrival in the Kerala Express, Thasmith Thamsum was handed over to the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) and taken to its shelter in Thycaud. A special CWC meeting is scheduled for 10am on Monday, where both the child’s parents and the police will be present.
The committee will decide whether to return Thasmith to her parents or keep her in the shelter based on the outcome of the meeting. “During our phone conversations, Thasmith mentioned being beaten and expressed a preference not to be with her parents. She also indicated a desire to stay with her grandparents,” said a CWC officer.
Thasmith had previously informed CWC members in Visakhapatnam of similar concerns, citing physical abuse and a lack of schooling, and expressed her wish to live with her grandparents in Assam. Following the meeting, Thasmith will be presented to a magistrate, who will provide further directions. Depending on her statements and the magistrate’s orders, the police may consider charging her parents under Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act if serious allegations are made.
Thasmith had left home on Tuesday morning after being punished by her mother for an argument with her younger brother. She traveled by train to Kanyakumari, then to Chennai, and from there .