13-yr-old girl with special needs chained by family for three years : Ludhiana

Despite the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) providing support to children with special needs under its Integrated Education for the Disabled scheme, a 13-year-old daughter of a labourer couple has been bereft of the facility.

Unable to get Sumanpreet Kaur's mental disorder diagnosed or treated, her parents, residents of Jodhan village, have chained their daughter to 'manage' her seizures for the past three years.

SSA ensures that every child with special needs, irrespective of the kind, category and degree of disability, is provided meaningful and quality education for at least up to Class 8. With the Constitution making elementary education a fundamental right of every child, no child with special needs can be deprived of the right to education.

However, Sumanpreet has been deprived of the provisions under the Right to Education Act.

Her father, Raj Kumar, said he and his wife were labourers, and they toiled hard to earn two square meals for their family of seven, and therefore, had no money to spare for Sumanpreet's treatment.

"I know that there are several schemes available for children with special needs. But, despite running from pillar to post, no official has paid head to my pleas requesting diagnosis and treatment for my daughter," the father rued.

He said they discovered that Sumanpreet had a mental disorder when she suffered a seizure at the age of four. In absence of management of her disorder, her condition had deteriorated and she now suffered frequent seizures.

While her parents go for work, it is her grandmother Amarjit Kaur, besides two sisters, who take care of her.

Amarjit said they had been chaining Sumanpreet with a bedstead for the past three years, as she used to flee from the house and hurt herself and people of village, besides vandalising their belongings.

She said as Sumanpreet inflicted self injury, they had to keep an eye on her all the time.

Raj Kumar appealed to people to help the family for his daughter's treatment. Persons willing to help can contact this correspondent at 9872-900-220.

Source : Hindustan Times , 13th April 2014