Raipur in a fix over ‘boy orderlies’

In this surrogate policeman’s job, the child must work one day and go to school the next. At work, the children are asked to do filing and chores like bringing tea and water for seniors. They are paid about Rs 2,500 a month for the job.

Nipendra Kurre, 12, also works as a “child police officer” in Raipur. His day begins at 6 am when he goes to school whenever it is a day off from work. He goes to tuition classes in the evening as the police officers are lenient and allow him to leave at about 4 pm.

He says loves football, but has no time to play. But he does get a monthly salary and the respect of his peers — they call him “policeman” at school. “Most kids are even afraid of me,” he says.

And like his father, Bajrang Kurre, he too would like to join the force some day.

Yogesh and Nipendra are two of the nine children who have been employed in Raipur, while the figure for the entire state is around 75 “child police officers”.

Raipur senior superintendent of police, B S Marawi, says the employment of these children must be seen from a social perspective. But human rights activists in the state have been protesting against the scheme saying the initiative is a violation of Indian and international child laws.

Says Subhash Mahapatra, president of a human rights organisation called Forum for Fact-Finding, Documentation and Advocacy: “It is very similar to the definition of child soldiers as outlined by the United Nations. The existence of the ‘boy orderlies’ is a flagrant violation of the human rights of children as stated in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which has been ratified by India.”

His agency has submitted a report to the National Human Rights Commission on this issue and is seeking immediate intervention.

Mahapatra pointed out that the system of “boy orderlies” seems to be prevalent only in the states of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, a fact confirmed by SSP Marawi.

But Marawi says there is no element of coercion in the recruitment as families of dead policemen are given an option to send their kids for the jobs. And the amount paid is over the payment the families get as pension.

O P Rathor, director general of state police, too sees nothing wrong in the practice. “You need to see the humanitarian intent,” he says. “Anyway, boy orderlies are allowed to go to school three days a week and can hope to become police constables on passing out.”

The police here also point to the fact that a certain number of appointments as constables may be given to boys under 18. They are known as “boy orderlies”, and receive half the pay of an ordinary constable. In making these appointments, preference is given to sons and relatives of police officers.

But activist Mahapatra disagrees. “This provision is anomalous in a democratic state with social justice as it goes against the fundamental rights of freedom of choice, expression and education.”