Jharkhand: FIR against three child-home minors for sexually assaulting juniors

RANCHI: In a very shocking incident, a child home in Ranchi has registered an FIR against three minor children for sexually assaulting the younger children living there.

Superintendent of 'Balashraya,' a child home registered under the Juvenile Justice Act, registered FIR against three children on Tuesday for forcing others to practice unnatural sex with them.

When the matter was reported to the authorities, group counselling of children was done during which the three children were identified by them. Even repeated warnings and counselling by the authorities did not deter them and they continued to torture the younger children in 'Balashrya.'

The children even told the authorities that they were threatened with dire consequences if they tried to report to the warden or other staff in the child home.

"Three children of 'Balashrya' have been booked under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and 370 of IPC for sexually assaulting the other children residing in the home. The FIR was lodged by the Superintendent of the child home following which one of the children was sent to probation after producing him before the JJ Court on Wednesday," said the officer in charge of Pandara OP Anup Bhengra.

One of the accused, however, had fled from the shelter home after the complaint was made against them, while another accused child was handed over to his parents, he added.

Child Welfare Committee Chairperson Rupa Verma also asserted that despite repeated counselling of the accused children, no improvement was noticed in their behaviour. When the children being targeted by them were removed; they started targeting others living in the home.

"Since they were not ready to change their behaviour, CWC was compelled to direct 'Balashraya' to lodge FIR following which the action was taken on Tuesday," said Verma.

She, however, believed that all these accused children are minors and being a guardian, the CWC will make all efforts so that they are brought to the mainstream.

Children in the age group 10 to 18 years, rescued from trafficking or those who are orphans, are kept in 'Balashrya' to provide care and protection to them.