Inchara Udupi
Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Aug 8: A boy who had mysteriously gone missing from Kalya Bharat Nagar near Kaup in the district two months back was found from a private hospital in the city on Thursday August 7. The boy, who was found with a fractured hand, had been admitted into the hospital by a person named Santosh Shetty from Hebri, it is learnt.

The boy in question, Mallikarjun (14), son of Basavaraj Haligeri and Santavva couple belonging to Badami taluk in Bagalkot district, had disappeared from the rented accommodation of his family in Kalya Bharat Nagar near Kaup since May 27. The parents, after searching for the boy in vain, had filed a missing complaint in Kaup police station in the first week of June.

On July 30, Basavaraj received a call from Kaup police, who told him that they had got information about the fact that a boy named Mallikarjun had been admitted into Adarsha Hospital in the city. The policemen asked him to visit the hospital and confirm whether the said inpatient was his son. During his visit to the hospital, father of Mallikarjun found to his dismay that his son had indeed been admitted into the intensive care unit of the said hospital. On enquiry, Basavaraj was told by the doctors that a person named Santosh Shetty from Hebri had admitted his son into the hospital.

Basavaraj, who was ecstatic at finding the missing son, got Mallikarjun discharged from the hospital and brought him home. However, the boy's health condition worsened since the day he was brought home, and at present, he is bedridden. He is not in a position to move out of his bed.

Basavaraj, who had collected telephone number of Santosh Shetty from the hospital, called Shetty. Reportedly, Shetty told him that the boy was standing near Udupi bus stand, and that he was given job at the former's hotel. 'We thereafter took him home and got some work done there. While working at home, he fell from the terrace and fractured his hand. Out of humanitarian concern, we admitted into the hospital. He is now your responsibility, and I have nothing to add,' Shetty told Basavaraj with arrogance, father of Mallikarjun alleges.

The parents of the boy also are disappointed at the lack of response on the part of the police, who had registered the missing case and given the information about the fact that the boy had been found. They expected the police to inquire into the circumstances under the boy's health deteriorated and how he suffered fracture, and hold the concerned responsible for his pathetic state.

There is suspicion that the boy was subjected to brutality, and he appears to have been mentally deranged. He is in semi-conscious state, and his legs, face, and abdomen region appear swollen.

When the parents visited the hospital, the hospital doctors had initially told them that the boy's condition was critical and he needs surgery and other treatments. They also told them that the boy might survive if he is lucky enough. Later, the hospital authorities reportedly told them that the boy was fine and can be taken home. When the couple contacted the police for further action, they told them that complaint if any about the boy's condition can be filed only in Udupi or Hebri station, and that their job relating to missing complaint was over.

When contacted, Santosh Shetty said that he had found the boy standing alone just three days before he was admitted into the hospital near the bus stand in the city. He said the boy fell down from the terrace of his home, and suffered fracture. He added that he had met hospital expenses of the boy. He confirmed that the boy was not subjected to atrocities as alleged.