Campaign Against Pseudo Science Using Law and Ethics (CAPSULE) Kerala, a wing of the Kerala Sasthra Sahitya Parishad, has filed a complaint with the Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights against using children in religious rituals such as ‘Garudan Thookkam’ and ‘Shoolam Kuthal’.
A release quoting U. Nandakumar, chairman, and M.P. Anil Kumar, convener, CAPSULE Kerala, said on Tuesday that injuries were being inflicted on children in the name of such rituals. On the days of certain festivals, fatal weapons are used to injure even minor children, and they are left to suffer without any medical care for hours. The forum claimed that tridents are being pierced through the body parts of children and they are dangled from a shaft hooking the skin on their back.
They wondered if the consent of the children are taken before performing these acts, which will affect their health. If such acts are performed not part of any religious rituals, they will attract provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Juvenile Justice Act, the forum pointed out.
