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Time of India
26-07-2025
- Time of India
Mumbai girl rescued from child marriage returns to school
Mumbai: A minor girl from Kurla, who at the age of 12 last year was rescued from a terrible child marriage plan, has now resumed her school education in the city after overcoming her ordeal. Last year in July, the minor's mother and relatives took her to Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh to get her married to an older man. The Mumbai-based Harmony Foundation NGO, who learned about this illegal marriage through their sources, then alerted the senior AP police officers and successfully rescued the girl. The Founder-Chairperson of Harmony Foundation, Abraham Mathai, said, "We are happy that the rescued girl,who is now 13 years old, has restarted her school education after a year-long gap. She lost her father a few years ago, and her mother remarried. However, they were forcing her to get married when she was just 12 years old." You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai After donning her school uniform, the girl gleefully went back to her old alma mater, God Day School in Chembur. "I want to become a doctor when I grow up," she replied when asked what her future career plan was. "Meeting this brave young girl was both heart-wrenching and deeply inspiring. At just 12 years old, she faced a tragedy no child should ever endure — the loss of her father, the betrayal of trust by those meant to protect her, especially her mother, and the horrifying reality of being pushed into child marriage. Her life was nearly snatched away, and her freedom vanished before her eyes. In a world where hope often feels distant for children like her, justice has thankfully prevailed," said Mathai. He added that while we often speak of women empowerment, supporting and protecting our girls is not just a slogan — "it's the least we can do. Ensuring every girl child has the right to education, dignity, and safety must remain our highest priority. He also thanked the Andhra Pradesh police force for quickly acting on their complaint about the forced child marriage.
Time of India
15-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
For this social worker, every day is Father's Day
Navi Mumbai: As a young man in his 20s, Panvel-based social worker Pastor Philip was shaken to catch the sight of a naked homeless youth trying to ward off a few stray dogs to search for discarded food inside an open pile of trash. It had got him thinking in his pre-activist avatar, on why the govt is not doing anything for the poorest of the poor. A few years later, while visiting the red light area of Sonapur for research, Philip found himself cradling a sickly abandoned nine-month-old baby, because his mother, a sex worker, said she cannot afford to take care of him. Since none of the orphanages in Mumbai were willing to admit this baby, because he was HIV positive, Philip had decided to rent a room in Panvel to keep this baby and start his own NGO. That is how the Social and Evangelical Association for Love (SEAL) Ashram was started by him in No 1999. Today, as there are over 400 rescued destitutes at SEAL campus in New Panvel, Pastor Philip said that every day feels like Father's Day for him, as he oversees its running. "Besides rescued men, women and senior citizens, we also have many children at our shelter, who have been admitted to schools in Panvel region, and all of them have mentioned my name as their father in the school registers," said Philip, who is happy that many of his rescued kids have grown up over the years and settled down. The chief patron of SEAL and founder of Harmony Foundation, Abraham Mathai, commented: "Father's Day is a time to honour those amazing fathers who nurture, protect and uplift with unconditional love. Pastor Philip is one such father who has done this over the the years, inspired by love and grounded in the principles of compassion." Mathai added: "Pastor Philip established a shelter where the abandoned find a family, dignity and a renewed sense of life. Hence, our Harmony Foundation also dedicates this Father's Day to him.'' Amid this basket of love and happiness, there are also a few sorrowful things that Philip always keeps close to him — like a plastic begging bowl with Rs 65.50 in it, marked as 'Tears Of Vidya — Treasure Of A Tiny Life'. In May 2001, Philip had come across a fragile, ailing girl, Vidya, who was simply lying on the railway FOB of Bhandup station, while her parents put this begging bowl in front of her. Philip had ensured that Vidya was immediately sent to a hospital, where she could only utter two words before dying -- "Roti do' [Give me bread]." Philip has kept this sealed begging bowl to remind him of how much more needs to be done.
Time of India
25-04-2025
- Time of India
Two women among three arrested for operation prostitution ring under guise of spa in Thane
Thane: The Thane crime branch arrested three persons, including two women, and rescued seven women after a raid at a wellness and healing spa located near a mall on Ghodbunder Road in Thane. Acting on information from the Harmony Foundation that the spa was being used as a front for prostitution, the police conducted a sting operation on Thursday. The raid resulted in the arrest of two female and one male agents who were allegedly forcing vulnerable women into prostitution under the guise of providing spa and massage services, said a police officer. Seven female victims were rescued during the operation. The police said one woman rescued could be a minor, and they are verifying it through various legal processes. "The other links of the racket are under investigation and shall be nabbed soon," said a senior police officer. A case was registered at the local police station under relevant sections of the BNS and the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act of 1956 and further legal process is under way. The operation was conducted under the guidance of senior police officials from the Crime Branch, including the Deputy Commissioner of Police Amar Singh Jadhav.
