4 staffers of shelter home held after DCW complaint
TNN | Dec 30, 2018, 01:39 IST
Representative ImageNEW DELHI: Four women employees of a home for girls were arrested on Saturday, a day after the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) said they found cases of sexual abuse and unhygienic conditions at the shelter run by an NGO in southwest Delhi’s Dwarka, during a surprise inspection.
The DCW on Friday had said that employees at the house allegedly abused the girls by administering chilli powder in their private parts as punishment.
Police registered an FIR under sections of the Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and Juvenile Justice Act and are probing the allegations. Medical examination of the three girls were also conducted and the reports are awaited.
Deputy commissioner of police (Dwarka) Anto Alphonse said, “We have arrested four women staffers of the shelter home and are probing their roles. Their employers will also be examined.”
The DCW in its statement released on Friday said the commission’s expert committee conducted a surprise visit at the home that houses 22 inmates on Thursday night. According to the statement, during the visit the expert committee found that the inmates were allegedly forced to do household chores and abused by the staff.
“The older girls in the group said they were forced to do all chores such as cooking and cleaning toilets since the home did not have sufficient domestic staff. They were also asked to take care of the younger girls,” the DCW said.
The committee members said there was only one cook in the shelter, adding that they also received complaints about the quality of food. The home has girls from 6 to 15 years.
DCW chief Swati Maliwal requested the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) to put in place a new management of the home and ensure protection for the girls as they need to be rehabilitated properly. Maliwal also requested the Centre to ensure inspection of all shelter homes across the country by sensitive officers at war footing. “When abuse can be prevalent at a shelter home in Delhi, one can imagine what must be going on in the entire country,” she added.
A team of DCW counsellors as well as police (in plain clothes) have presently been deputed in the home 24x7 to ensure safety of the inmates. The DCW will continue to monitor the condition of the shelter home.
The DCW on Friday had said that employees at the house allegedly abused the girls by administering chilli powder in their private parts as punishment.
Police registered an FIR under sections of the Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and Juvenile Justice Act and are probing the allegations. Medical examination of the three girls were also conducted and the reports are awaited.
Deputy commissioner of police (Dwarka) Anto Alphonse said, “We have arrested four women staffers of the shelter home and are probing their roles. Their employers will also be examined.”
The DCW in its statement released on Friday said the commission’s expert committee conducted a surprise visit at the home that houses 22 inmates on Thursday night. According to the statement, during the visit the expert committee found that the inmates were allegedly forced to do household chores and abused by the staff.
“The older girls in the group said they were forced to do all chores such as cooking and cleaning toilets since the home did not have sufficient domestic staff. They were also asked to take care of the younger girls,” the DCW said.
The committee members said there was only one cook in the shelter, adding that they also received complaints about the quality of food. The home has girls from 6 to 15 years.
DCW chief Swati Maliwal requested the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) to put in place a new management of the home and ensure protection for the girls as they need to be rehabilitated properly. Maliwal also requested the Centre to ensure inspection of all shelter homes across the country by sensitive officers at war footing. “When abuse can be prevalent at a shelter home in Delhi, one can imagine what must be going on in the entire country,” she added.
A team of DCW counsellors as well as police (in plain clothes) have presently been deputed in the home 24x7 to ensure safety of the inmates. The DCW will continue to monitor the condition of the shelter home.
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