STREET CIRCUS CHILDREN IN KERALA

Recently a Malayalam TV Channel has transmitted a programme in which a young woman  appeared has revealed her story at very young age.  She belonged to an extremely poor family. She had no father with her and the mother was a handicapped one. She had a good number of other children also living in the wayside tent in small towns. They kept changing places frequently. All these children, both boys and girls were in the age group of about 3 to 7/8 years. These children were used for the earnings of a set of few hooligans. 

These children were trained to become circus players like rope walking and other physical play.

About ten years ago, these children were given a daily targets of Rs 250/-, nonveg food pack and a bottle of alcoholic drink. In most days they don't get sufficient money to have their food. After wandering through trains, bus stands, market areas etc from 6.00 am to 7.00 pm with tiring circus performance reach their tents with nothing to eat and get beaten by these dirty humans who manage them.  If they are reached slightly late they are severely beaten. This horrible beating and other forms of worst punishments are repeated if they fail to get up and go out. They don't take bath for months together. In most days they don't get food and sleep with empty stomach. The total misuse of good number of children continue in different parts of the state, according to the one revealed the story in the TV channel. They are generally said to be found in trains, bus stands, at different streets of the town's across the state. They are always watched from a safe distance by the hooligans who make this a way of living. These children must have been picked from different parts of the state.

The concerned government agencies and social organisations may please try to interfere with this cruelty played to small children by some wicked fellows for their daily food and alcohol.

K V George