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India marathon boy torture charge | India marathon boy torture charge |
(about 2 hours later) | |
The coach of a five-year-old Indian boy famous for running marathons has been charged with torture, police say. | |
They say that Biranchi Das was arrested after Budhia Singh's mother said she had found scars on the body of her son. Mr Das strongly denies any wrongdoing. | They say that Biranchi Das was arrested after Budhia Singh's mother said she had found scars on the body of her son. Mr Das strongly denies any wrongdoing. |
Budhia began running at three and last year entered the record books for covering 65km (40 miles) uninterrupted in just over seven hours. | Budhia began running at three and last year entered the record books for covering 65km (40 miles) uninterrupted in just over seven hours. |
Officials dubbed him "marathon boy", and he became an overnight celebrity. | Officials dubbed him "marathon boy", and he became an overnight celebrity. |
Budhia told television channels that Mr Das had punished him by keeping him confined in a room without food for two days. | Budhia told television channels that Mr Das had punished him by keeping him confined in a room without food for two days. |
"He also beat me with a hot iron rod," Budhia said, showing burn marks on his hands. | "He also beat me with a hot iron rod," Budhia said, showing burn marks on his hands. |
Biranchi Das denies the charges | Biranchi Das denies the charges |
Mr Das has strongly denied the allegations and claimed that he was being framed by the child's mother. | Mr Das has strongly denied the allegations and claimed that he was being framed by the child's mother. |
She has alleged that he beat up Budhia regularly, on one occasion tying him to a ceiling fan and throwing hot water over his body. | She has alleged that he beat up Budhia regularly, on one occasion tying him to a ceiling fan and throwing hot water over his body. |
"Do you believe I could have done this to Budhia?" Mr Das asked. | "Do you believe I could have done this to Budhia?" Mr Das asked. |
"Consult people in the slum that he lived in. When Budhia first came here his entire body was filled with sores and boils. I groomed him as my son." | "Consult people in the slum that he lived in. When Budhia first came here his entire body was filled with sores and boils. I groomed him as my son." |
Security guards | Security guards |
Mr Das called the charges "a conspiracy against me hatched by the [Orissa] state government's child welfare department". | Mr Das called the charges "a conspiracy against me hatched by the [Orissa] state government's child welfare department". |
He has long insisted that the boy's health is "normal". | He has long insisted that the boy's health is "normal". |
"He's an asset to the nation," he said. "It's a pity that he's surrounded by controversy. India has no marathon runners and, when a kid starts running, instead of supporting him the government is finishing his career." | "He's an asset to the nation," he said. "It's a pity that he's surrounded by controversy. India has no marathon runners and, when a kid starts running, instead of supporting him the government is finishing his career." |
The boy has been reunited with his mother | The boy has been reunited with his mother |
Police say that the boy was taken to a hospital for examinations, and was assigned security guards after his mother claimed that Mr Das had threatened their lives. | Police say that the boy was taken to a hospital for examinations, and was assigned security guards after his mother claimed that Mr Das had threatened their lives. |
In May the Orissa child welfare department condemned Budhia's participation in marathons as "torture", a month before they stopped him from making a 100km (60-mile) walk in scorching heat across east India. | In May the Orissa child welfare department condemned Budhia's participation in marathons as "torture", a month before they stopped him from making a 100km (60-mile) walk in scorching heat across east India. |
In 2006, doctors said he was suffering from extreme exhaustion after he attempted to run a 70km (43-mile) marathon, which led to protests from child rights activists. | In 2006, doctors said he was suffering from extreme exhaustion after he attempted to run a 70km (43-mile) marathon, which led to protests from child rights activists. |
Doctors said at that time that the child was undernourished, anaemic and under cardiac stress. | Doctors said at that time that the child was undernourished, anaemic and under cardiac stress. |
Budhia was born in the slums of Bhubaneswar, the capital of Orissa. His father was a beggar while his mother earns a living by washing dishes. | Budhia was born in the slums of Bhubaneswar, the capital of Orissa. His father was a beggar while his mother earns a living by washing dishes. |
When his father died, Budhia's mother, unable to feed her four children, allowed him to be "adopted" by Mr Das, who trained him as a marathon runner. | When his father died, Budhia's mother, unable to feed her four children, allowed him to be "adopted" by Mr Das, who trained him as a marathon runner. |
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