Rohtak (Haryana), Aug 21 - The Haryana police Friday defended its action in removing two children who were holding a protest demonstration for the last 40 days in this town, demanding release of their father from police custody.

Both children, Nitika, 8, and Himanshu, 7, were sent to an orphanage at Rai in Sonepat district Thursday night by police. The two had been sitting on a protest along with their grandparents outside the superintendent of police's office in Rohtak, 80 km from Delhi, since July 11.

'We have sent the children to Bal Gram (childrens' home) on the orders of the district magistrate,' Rohtak district police chief Anil Kumar Rao told IANS.

'It is wrong to say that we picked up the children and took them away. Their grandparents accompanied them to the children's home. The other relatives are unnecessarily raising a hue and cry about this,' he added.

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 raped by five men in Sonepat district of Haryana.