Cops raided Gangster Nayeem’s house on Thursday in Devarakonda in Nalgonda district. 47 children have been rescued from various dens. All those children’s were supplied to Nayeem by a woman.

An official said “Nayeem used children as human shields to escape during shootouts or raids by the police or his rivals. The Ranga Reddy Child Welfare Committee (CWC) has recorded the statements of nine out of the 13 children rescued from Nayeem’s house at Alkapuri. Nine more children from his Shadnagar guesthouse; and based on the confession by Nayeem’s watchman at Goa, one Mr Mohammad Tajuddin, police has found that around 25 more children are at Pondaborni in Goa.”

Another official said “We shall bring back all the 25 children from Nayeem’s two guesthouses at Goa -- Pondaborni guesthouse and Church House. The children are in the age group of nine to 18.”

A source from the Family and Child Welfare department said that “most of the children were unable to recollect their native places or the names of their parents. Some gave proper statements. Most of the children were brought here when they were between three  and five and were being brought up here. Almost all the children were brought from Devarakonda. They are able to speak Telugu, Hindi and Banjara languages. Once the other team of children arrive from Goa arrive, they will be sent for DNA and other tests.”

Police said that “these children were used as human shields by Nayeem. Even in the two Goa guesthouses, each room were planned in such a way that everyone can escape easily in an emergency with the help of human shields. A lady don from Devarakonda used to supply children to Nayeem. After Nayeem’s encounter, she escaped and our teams are searching for her.”

“Based on the statement given by the rescued children, Nayeem and his associates used to shift the children from the city to other places. Once the children were sent out, they did not return to these dens. We found that nearly 50 children were sent out from the city, all were aged between nine and 18. We shall request the Child Welfare Committee to take their statements again under supervision of child psychologists,” they said.

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BY M. DIVYA SRI