Nearly 50 girls were sexually abused; NGO officials arrested

An NGO (a non-profit organization) is to help and address the people’s political and social problems.

But what if they themselves commit crimes?

46 girls have been rescued by the Bihar authorities after reports of sexual abuse have been made aware. The incident took place at a shelter house run by a non-government organisation.

Aged from 6- 18, the girls have been lodged within the shelter house being run at Muzaffarpur, a north Bihar city some 80 kilometres from Patna.

The authorities have stated that 13 of the victims are facing mental health issues as they have been reportedly abused.

“The girls were being sexually exploited [and endured mental torture]. We have rescued all of them and a case has been registered against the accused persons,” Muzaffarpur’s senior superintendent of police Harpreet Kaur told the media on Saturday.

READ ALSO: Similar law indeed for male victims of child sexual abuse: Maneka Gandhi

FIR REGISTERED AGAINST THE CULPRITS

An FIR has been lodged against an NGO running a government-owned children’s home for girls in Muzaffarpur for alleged sexual exploitation of the inmates. The matter came to light through an audit report of the Mumbai-based Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS).

TISS had visited the shelter home in February this year reported sexual exploitation of inmates in its report to the state government.

The team submitted its report to the government last week. The team had been asked to conduct a social audit of the shelter home.

Based on the report, the police later registered a case against the NGO officials under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO).

The FIR was lodged with the Women’s police station in Muzaffarpur on May 31 by district child protection unit’s assistant director Dibesh Kumar Sharma. The children’s home, located on Sahu Road, was run by the Seva Sankalp Evam Vikas Samiti with which the state government had entered into a contract for running the home for girls rescued from traffickers.

“The 46 girls residing at this home have been shifted to other such homes in the state,” Sharma said, adding the girls belonged to the age group of 6-18 years.

Sharma said the TISS in its report said the children’s home was found running in a highly questionable manner and grave instances of violence were reported by the inmates. Several girls complained about being abused sexually.

Muzaffarpur SSP Harpreet Kaur, who visited the children’s home on Saturday evening and conducted investigation said that two teams consisting of women police officers and counsellors had been sent to the places where the girls had been shifted.

“The teams will record their statements. The NGO proprietor, Brajesh Thakur, and its other functionaries were quizzed on Saturday. Action will be taken once we get evidence,” the SSP said.