An NGO seeks safety for families of migrant street vendors during Dasara

Odanadi Seva Samsthe, an NGO dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of trafficked and sexually abused women and children, urged Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar to pay attention to the safety of vulnerable migrant families who visit Mysuru during Dasara for street vending.

The principals of Odanadi — Stanley and Parashuram — pointed out that several poor families from different parts of Karnataka and also from outside the state come to Mysuru during the Dasara festival to earn some income by selling balloons, toys, ribbons and whistles.

“These poor families get little or no attention during the Mysuru Dasara celebrations,” they said before recalling the rape and murder of a nine-year-old girl who was selling balloons along with her family outside a Dasara fair in 2025.

The body of a minor girl who belongs to a nomadic family from Kalaburagi was found near Doddakere Maidan.

“A festival held at the cost of the safety, dignity and lives of women and children cannot have meaning or true celebration. Instead, it casts a shadow of pain, hunger, despair and sorrow,” Odanadi said in a statement.

They therefore urged Mr. Shivakumar to provide free accommodation, toilets, drinking water and protection to the homeless and vulnerable families who come to Mysuru for street vending. “The government should provide free accommodation, toilets, drinking water and also security during their stay in Mysuru,” the Odanadi directors claim.

According to them, the government should establish educational centers with sports and cultural activities for children from these families who do not go to school.

Childcare centers should also be opened for all children under the age of five who belong to these families.

Odanadi alerted the authorities to cases where women were forced to beg while holding infants who were given narcotic tablets and put to sleep. “Such practices do not contribute to the dignity and image of Karnataka. We request that such women be identified and that children be saved from this form of forced begging,” urged Odanadi.

Notice on the promotion of sex tourism

Odanadi took exception to some tourism operators allegedly promoting “sex tourism” in Mysuru by allegedly running prostitution rings, including lodges, massage parlours, spas, beauty salons, resorts and homestays, with women being brought in from other states and countries.

“There is a high probability of minor girls falling prey to these networks. Such activities are already spreading across Mysuru. There is a possibility that prostitution related activities may increase further during Dasara,” Odanadi said.

They urged the police department, which is responsible for curtailing such activities, to deal with this serious issue as a matter of priority.

Published – 15 Sep 2026 12:51 IST