What happened to the two children?
That question has remained unanswered for more than six years despite allegations involving the administration of drugs to minors, intervention by child rights authorities, police inquiries, statutory notices, RTI applications, and now the intervention of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
The disturbing case first surfaced on 8 January 2020 when The Hindu reported that a Christian pastor and his wife in the West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh were accused of administering country-made drugs to two minor siblings during proceedings concerning their custody and welfare. According to the report, the children allegedly became mentally disturbed following the incident. The seriousness of the allegations prompted police action under Section 77 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, which deals with the administration of intoxicating substances to children.
The allegations did not stop there. The same report stated that the pastor and his wife allegedly attempted to place the children under their own foster care. Recognizing the gravity of the matter, the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) treated the case as a serious child protection issue and directed the District Child Protection Unit and the police to conduct a detailed inquiry. The children were reportedly separated and placed in different schools as part of the protective measures ordered during the investigation.
Given the serious nature of the allegations, the Legal Rights Protection Forum (LRPF) approached the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR). Acting on the complaint, the NCPCR issued an official notice on 17 February 2020 to the District Collector of West Godavari, directing the district administration to investigate the matter and submit a detailed action taken report along with authenticated records and findings. The intervention of the country’s apex child rights body reflected the seriousness with which the allegations were viewed.
Yet, despite the passage of six years, the outcome of that inquiry remains shrouded in secrecy. No comprehensive findings have been publicly disclosed. No official clarification has been provided regarding the status of the investigation, whether prosecutions were initiated, whether the allegations were substantiated or disproved, and most importantly, what ultimately happened to the two children whose welfare was at the center of the controversy.
Repeated attempts by LRPF to obtain information through the Right to Information Act have allegedly met with resistance. Applications seeking details regarding the inquiry committee, investigation findings, recommendations, prosecution status, and departmental action were reportedly denied on the grounds that the information was ‘confidential.’ Such refusals have only deepened concerns about transparency and accountability in a matter involving vulnerable children and serious allegations of abuse.
The authorities’ prolonged silence has raised troubling questions. If a detailed investigation was conducted, why have its conclusions never been disclosed? If wrongdoing was established, what action was taken against those responsible? If the allegations were found to be unsubstantiated, why has no official closure been communicated to the public? The absence of answers has fueled apprehensions that influential individuals may have been shielded from scrutiny and accountability.
The case also raises broader legal concerns. Allegations involving the administration of unknown substances to minors extend beyond child welfare and potentially enter the domain of criminal law relating to narcotic, psychotropic, or other prohibited substances. Determining the source, nature, possession, and administration of the alleged drugs is essential not only for establishing accountability but also for ensuring that similar incidents do not occur again. For this reason, calls have been made for an impartial, multi-agency investigation, including examination of whether offenses under narcotic and psychotropic substance laws may have been committed.
Now, in a significant development, the National Human Rights Commission has taken cognizance of the complaint under Section 12 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993. Observing that the allegations prima facie disclose possible violations of the human rights of the children involved, the NHRC has issued notices to the district magistrate and superintendent of police, Eluru, directing them to inquire into the allegations and submit an action taken report within seven days. The Commission’s intervention represents perhaps the most important opportunity in years to bring transparency and accountability to a case that has remained unresolved in the public domain.
At its core, this is not merely a story about administrative delays or missing reports. It is a story about two children whose lives were allegedly altered by a deeply disturbing incident and whose quest for justice appears to have been lost in a maze of bureaucratic silence. Children cannot fight powerful systems on their own. Society, institutions, and the rule of law must speak for them. Until the truth is fully established and publicly disclosed, the fundamental question remains unanswered:
What happened to the two children?
