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Freedom from torture at last

Rakhi being celebrated at SOS village in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday.

BHUBANESWAR: Like any other child, 11-year-old Prasant Nahak was very excited in SOS Children’s Village since Tuesday morning. Three sisters, though no blood relatives, came forward to tie ‘rakshi’.

Prasant has been enjoying social occasions like this for the last three years. He now seems to be settled in the ‘all-looks-happy life’ after going through traumatic torture in the hands of a royal family in 2004. The remarkable recovery from terrible days of being tortured by erstwhile queen is possible due to consistent efforts of other inmates of SOS Village who are equally starved of affection here.

In his Anchal home in SOS Village, he hardly remembers the days in the palace where boiling water was allegedly poured on him and he was allegedly made to sit on a burning heater.

Prasant, once synonymous of child torture, now competes with children from normal families in Saraswati Sishu Mandir, Dharma Vihar, here. The former domestic help in the royal family made it to the school by passing the entrance examination.

Do your school friends ask about the burn injuries in body? "Yes. I instantly reply that I was burnt," said Prasant, who was never ashamed of his past. "I will surely find a place among top 10 students in my class," he exulted.

Amita Das, designated mother for Anchal’s children, said the boy proved to very talented. "The boy has done remarkably well in Class IV Standard in Raj Bhawan School. Now, he will surely go on to secure good position in Saraswati Sishu Mandir," Ms. Das said.

"I love playing Basketball. I can compete with anybody in the school in the game," Prasant said.

Though Prasant has now started leading a normal life, child torture cases continued in the State.

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