Child adoption in Bengaluru sees 72% rise between 2020-25: Study
Bengaluru: Child adoptions in Bengaluru have surged by nearly 72% over the past five years, from 2020–21 to 2024–25, according to data from the State Adoption Resource Authority (SARA) cited by Deccan Herald on Wednesday. Across Karnataka, the increase stood at around 20% during the same period.
The state currently has 21 government-run and 24 privately-run specialised adoption agencies.
Officials quoted in the report attributed the rise to growing awareness and acceptance of adoption among couples compared to previous years. However, they also highlighted a significant mismatch between the number of children available for adoption and the number of prospective parents waiting.
“There are currently close to 2,279 parents waiting to get a kid for adoption and there are only 27 normal kids and 55 special needs kids available for adoption. There is a huge gap and parents have had to wait a long time,” DH quoted Arundhati T.S., Deputy Director, State Adoption Resource Authority (SARA),as saying.
The minimum waiting period for adoptive parents is around two years, and it can extend further depending on their preferences. Arundhati explained that parents can choose two states based on their background or even cluster of states, like they can choose their preference as South India. As the number of states increases, the options they get also increases and this might reduce their waiting period.
An official quoted by DH further noted a gradual shift in adoption patterns. While most applicants are still couples unable to conceive, there has been an increase in unmarried people expressing interest in adopting and becoming single parents.
As November marks National Adoption Awareness Month, it has been observed that most adoptive parents prefer children under five, believing it helps in early bonding. The preference for gender remains evenly split, though officials have noted a steady rise in interest in adopting girl children in recent years.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Two arrested in K'taka for assaulting minors, uploading CSAM content
Bengaluru (PTI): Two men were arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting two minor girls, recording the acts on mobile phones and uploading the videos online as child sexual abuse material, police said on Thursday.
The accused have been identified as Kiran Kumar (29), hailing from Chitradurga district, and Aditya M K (20), hailing from Shivamogga district, they said.
A probe was initiated after information was received from the NCRP portal regarding a suspected instance of creation of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) for online dissemination, police said.
Accordingly, a case was registered at Kaggalipura Police Station under relevant sections of the IT Act on May 10, they added.
Investigation revealed that two minor girl victims were exploited and videos were created and uploaded to the internet. The child victims have subsequently recorded their statements as per procedure and further necessary legal steps have been taken, Pronab Mohanty Director General of Police, Cyber Command, said in a statement.
Based on the statements of the victims, the accused persons, who allegedly assaulted the minors, recorded the acts on mobile phones and uploaded the videos online, were arrested, he said.
Following the probe, sections 65(2) (rape) and 70 (gangrape) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with relevant sections of the POCSO Act, have been added to the FIR, police said.
Officials collected relevant information and on May 12, arrested the accused persons and seized three mobile phones belonging to them, in which the videos had allegedly been recorded, he said.
The accused were later produced before the court and taken into police custody for further investigation, he added.
According to him, in CSAM cases, police usually apprehend offenders who have downloaded such content or have kept them in their possession after obtaining them from elsewhere, usually the internet.
"The present case is one of the very few instances where content creators and uploaders have been apprehended," Mohanty added.
