UP shelter home abuse case: 24 girls rescued
Adityanath orders probe team to file report by tonight
DEORIA : Police on Monday rescued 24 girls from a shelter home in a town in eastern Uttar Pradesh after allegations of their sexual exploitation came to light, news agency PTI reported. A couple who were managers at the shelter home and its superintendent have been arrested.
Women and Child Welfare Minister Rita Bahuguna Joshi said that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has sent a high-level probe team to the town for on-the-spot inquiry and asked them to prepare the report by tonight, The district magistrate has also been removed.
A total of 42 girls reportedly stay in the house, of which 18 are said to be missing. The home has been sealed. “Twenty-four girls were rescued yesterday from the shelter home that houses 42 inmates. Eighteen inmates are still missing. We have sealed it,” PTI quoted a police official as saying.
The incident came to light after a girl escaped from there and intimated the police. “Many times white, black and red cars used to come and take away the girls. When they returned in the morning, they used to cry,” the girl alleged.
“When the order to close this institution was made, our people went there and the organisation’s director misbehaved with our team. Today, after a girl escaped from there, we got to know the reality of that place. There have been many big disclosures during the investigation. Twenty-four children have been rescued safely so far,” ANI quoted the police officer as saying.
Women and Child Welfare Minister Rita Bahuguna Joshi said CBI had last year ordered to shut the shelter home but the order was not followed yet. “After CBI inspection last year, it was established that the shelter home centre was running illegally. A direction was issued to shift the inmates and shut it. But this order was not followed,” ANI quoted Joshi as saying.
She further said, “On August 1, an FIR was lodged to shut it immediately as illegal acts were being carried on. One child was rescued yesterday who has filed a complaint. An investigation is underway.”
Meanwhile, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday promised strict action against the culprits in the alleged sexual exploitation of minor girls at government-sponsored shelter homes in Muzaffarpur, and said the government will cut off funding for NGOs to run shelter homes. “Why should we use an NGO? The government should spend money to build houses and hire people to take care of these children,” he said.
Kumar also slammed Opposition leaders who had held a candle march protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. “Those sitting on the protest should look within themselves and the sort of comments they have made against women in the past,” he said while addressing the media.
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CPI(M) rebel Kunhikrishnan hopes for 5,000-vote win in Payyanur
Kannur (Kerala) (PTI): CPI(M) rebel candidate V Kunhikrishnan, who contested as a UDF-backed Independent from Payyanur here, on Saturday said he was hoping to win the Assembly election by a margin of 5,000 votes.
Kunhikrishnan was expelled from the CPI(M) earlier this year after raising allegations of corruption in the party’s martyrs’ fund against sitting MLA T I Madhusoodanan.
Speaking to a TV channel, Kunhikrishnan said he had announced his candidature as a mark of protest and not with expectations of victory.
However, he said the situation had changed drastically, with a strong undercurrent within CPI(M) votes favouring him.
"The undercurrent in CPI(M) votes cannot be measured. Now people are giving a response indicating victory with a margin of at least 5,000 votes," he said.
Payyanur is considered a CPI(M) stronghold, and a defeat for Madhusoodanan there would be a major setback for the party.
On political violence in Payyanur, Kunhikrishnan said he had been facing it since filing his nomination.
"The people leading this violence should think about how long they can continue it. It is the police which has to take the initiative to stop this violence as part of maintaining law and order. But the police are not intervening at the required level," he said.
Regarding his political future, Kunhikrishnan said efforts were underway to strengthen Left groups, and discussions were being held across Kerala in that regard.
"After discussing with others, a decision will be taken," he said.
Kunhikrishnan is among six former CPI(M) leaders who either exited the party or were suspended before contesting for the UDF in the April 9 Assembly elections.
Elections to the 140-seat Kerala Assembly were held on April 9, and the counting of votes will be held on May 4.
