SHILLONG: The State Social Welfare Department today successfully brought back all 24 local minor girls from the Chikkaballapura district in the State of Karnataka.
These children, aged between 5 and 13 years, had been sent there in June 2025 for education by a group known as the Leis Synshar Cultural Society.
The children include 10 from East Khasi Hills, 7 from East Jaintia Hills, 6 from West Jaintia Hills, and 1 from West Khasi Hills.
According to Nautaj, the District Child Protection Officer (DCPO), the children were successfully rescued from a hostel known as Sowmya Kesanupallii Student Home, Penumale, Chikkaballapur, after the Government of Karnataka conducted an inspection.
The inspection revealed that the residential facility was not recognised by the Government of Karnataka, and the living conditions were unsafe and inadequate.
The Chairman of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), Chikkaballapur, informed the Director of the Social Welfare Department about this on August 2, 2025.
The Governments of Karnataka and Meghalaya took prompt action to repatriate the children to their home state, and they were officially handed over at the Social Welfare Department office today.
“Since the matter is still before the Karnataka High Court, the children were temporarily placed in the Govt. Children’s Home, Chikkaballapur, and have now been handed over to the Social Welfare Department of the State of Meghalaya,” she stated.
Speaking with Agatha Sangma, the Chairperson of the Meghalaya State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MSCPCR), she informed that upon receiving the information, the Commission lodged a complaint with the Deputy Commissioner (DC) regarding the Leis Synshar Cultural Society (the society that had sent these children to Karnataka).
It was discovered that the organisation was not recognised to operate, and thus the District authorities were directed to shut down its activities.
She highlighted that this was not the first incident. Following the previous incident, discussions were held and SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) were formulated to strengthen the rules that must be followed before sending children outside the state for studies.
“The Government’s objective is to strengthen these SOPs so that children who go outside to study are kept safe,” she said.
These children will be categorised as ‘Children in Need of Care and Protection’ and arrangements have been made for their care and protection, Director of Social Welfare Camelia Doreen Lyngwa said.
The Director further informed that after returning, the children will temporarily stay at the Children’s Home Girls Mawkasiang, Shillong, and the Social Welfare department will collaborate with the Education Department to conduct bridge courses and preparatory classes within the children’s home, enabling them to smoothly re-enter the academic session of 2026.
