Mangaluru:  A special court to exclusively handle cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act began functioning in the city on Thursday.

The special court is one of the 17 such courts set up in different districts of Karnataka as per the directive of the Supreme Court.

The apex court had in 2019 ordered that special POCSO courts should be set up in all districts if more than 100 cases under the Act are pending disposal.

The POCSO court was opened in the premises of the district courts complex by the special court judge Savitri V Bhat.

District chief sessions judge Kadlur Satyanarayana Acharya and vice president of bar association H R Raghavendra were present.

According to sources, a total of 185 POCSO cases are pending trial in Dakshina Kannada district, sources said.

The court has been set up in a child-friendly atmosphere with paintings and pictures on walls to prepare the victims mentally during the hearing in harassment cases.

 

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.



Pilibhit (PTI): A 19-day-old elephant calf, brought from Bijnor, was placed under care at the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR) on Sunday, an official said and added that the calf got separated from its mother in the forest area of Bijnor.

The calf was born on December 2 in the Bijnor forest area and got separated from its mother shortly after birth, the official said.

The forest department made several attempts to reunite it with its mother, but without any success. To ensure the calf's safety and better care, it was decided to transfer it to the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve on the instructions of senior officials.

On Saturday, Deputy Director Manish Singh received the calf. Special arrangements have been made in the reserve for its care. It has been kept in a safe and clean environment to provide it with a natural setting and protect it from external noise and disturbances.

Singh told reporters that raising an 19-day-old calf is challenging.

It requires a special diet as a substitute for mother's milk and constant monitoring.

He said a special team has been formed to provide 24-hour care. Since the calf is very young, it is being cared for like a newborn baby.

According to Singh, the primary responsibility for monitoring the calf's health has been entrusted to PTR's veterinarian, Dr Daksh Gangwar. Under his supervision, a complete record of the calf's health checkups, diet, and body temperature is being maintained. The team is ensuring that the calf does not contract any infection.