Mumbai:
In a setback to 32 HIV positive children in Hasegaon village in Latur district, locals here have allegedly burnt a mango orchard that used to finance an NGO working for these children.
The proceeds from the sale of fruits of the 250-odd trees in the orchard were used for running the NGO, Sevalaya. The NGO says locals had opposed the project earlier, thinking that the disease would spread to other children in the area.
A case has been registered at the Ausa police station in the district. The children, aged between six to 17 years, used to live in a home run by the NGO.
"We have been running a centre here for HIV positive children since 2007. In the last few years some locals opposed the project. In 2008, some property was damaged. Villagers had also opposed the admission of these children into the local school. And a few years later now they have done this, which is shameful. This has caused a lot of losses. We run this centre without any kind of government help. I have managed to keep the children safe so far but I am worried," said Mr Ravi Bapatle, Founder of the Sevalaya project told NDTV.
A resilient Bapatle says he will continue the NGO as the future of 32 children is at stake. "I was in Latur when this happened. I received a phone call informing me about the incident and I have lodged a police complaint. The police are investigating the case and only once that is complete will we get to know who is behind this. My job is to protect these children and their future and I will continue to do that."
Latur Superintendent of Police BG Gaikar told NDTV, "We have received a complaint and we are looking into the case."