A young girl’s placement in a children’s home despite having living parents has triggered widespread condemnation in the southern district. The situation arose when the child’s birth mother refused to accept her citing personal circumstances.
Upama Saha is the 8-9 year old daughter of Poornima and Ujjwal Saha from East Pratapgarh area in the Tripura state’s capital Agartala. The couple married about a decade ago but separated due to Ujjwal’s alleged anti-social behavior and substance abuse. This left Upama in her mother’s custody.
Reports suggest that 24-year-old Poornima viewed Upama as an impediment to her plans for a second marriage. She arranged for Ratna Chakraborty, a childless widow and Anganwadi worker from Belonia to care for Upama in exchange for money.
The arrangement came to light on July 15 after a public dispute between Poornima and Ratna over financial matters. Alerted by local residents the District Child Welfare Committee (CWC) in Belonia intervened. They rescued Upama and placed her in the Manorama Children’s Home in Laugang.
The CWC’s investigation revealed that Ratna had paid Poornima Rs 10,000 for Upama though Poornima denied this claim. Despite confirming Upama’s parentage through documentation Poornima refused to reclaim her daughter.
CWC Chairman Rupak Majumdar stated that Upama will remain in the children’s home for now. The incident has ignited calls for justice and stronger protective measures for vulnerable children.
This distressing case highlights the complex challenges faced by child welfare authorities. It underscores the need for robust support systems to safeguard children’s rights and well-being.