Rohtak (Haryana), Aug 21 - The two kids staging a dharna for the last 40 days in this Haryana town, demanding release of their father from police custody, were forcibly sent to an orphanage Thursday night, the police said.

Nitika (8) and Himanshu (7) have been sitting on a protest dharna along with their grandparents outside the Superintendent of Police's office here since July 11. The police officials forcibly picked them from here and sent them to an orphanage at Rai in Sonepat district.

'We have sent the children to Bal Gram (childrens' home) on the orders of district magistrate,' said a senior police official here Thursday late evening.

The children were demanding the release of their father Sunil, who was arrested in July for allegedly instigating his wife, a gang rape victim, to commit suicide.

'Our investigations have revealed that Sunil had forced his wife to commit suicide and the couple was having a strained relationship for a long time,' the official said.

In 2006, Alka, mother of the two kids, was gang raped by five men in Sonepat district of Haryana. Not getting justice even after three years, Alka and her husband Sunil consumed poison outside the Inspector-General's house in May, 2009.