Rakesh was finally taken to a home for mentally challenged children by an NGO on Thursday.

The miseries of the boy, who is physically and mentally challenged, began when his mother died on November 13 last year. His father was eventually arrested on charges of murdering his mother.

Besides the father, names of many relatives were registered in the FIR, some of whom were already absconding.

Following the tragedy, Rakesh was left to starve for more than a week in his Deganga home in North 24 Parganas. After being at home at the mercy of his neighbours, the police came into the picture due to the intervention of neighbours and an NGO called ‘Offer’.

The police admitted the boy to Barasat hospital, as he was extremely weak.

Although the hospital released the boy within seven days, no one came to take him home. Rakesh lay on the floor of the hospital with nobody to attend to him. “The hospital should have informed the child welfare committee,” said Mrinal Kanti Biswas, programme coordinator, Offer.

Sources, however, said that about ten days back, a woman claiming to be his aunt had come to take the boy home. When the hospital authorities asked her to establish her identity, she left and never came back.

“We found the child in a very sorry state, for which we blame the authorities and the police,” Biswas said.

‘Offer’ has finally brought Rakesh to a home for the mentally challenged children in Sonarpur, he added.