HP protection home girls were ‘drugged’ before the abuse

3 employees sent to threeday police remand

SHIMLA: A day after the police arrested three employees of a child protection home in Tissa of Chamba district following a sexual abuse complaint by six inmates, the girls have been shifted to another protection home in Chamba.

During counselling, the girls told the authorities that staff used to drug them before abusing them. “We used to feel sleepy soon after having dinner and remain drowsy till late morning,” the girls told the authorities, as per sources.

“The girls also said that they suspected that they were abused in sleep,” a source told Hindustan Times.

A medical examination of all the six girls was conducted on Wednesday and the reports are expected to come by Thursday.

The three employees, including the clerk, cook and sweeper, who were arrested were produced in the court on Thursday. The court sent them to threeday police remand.

Police have also seized recordings of CCTV cameras installed at the protection home. Sources said, “There are three CCTV cameras on the campus, but police could only get the recording of a single day. The staff informed the police that cameras were out of order.”

Earlier, a Class-10 girl, had informed the child protection home in-charge, Juma Khan, about the alleged sexual harassment of girls on the campus.

In the meantime, 33 other inmates were counselled, during which five more girls reported harassment by three employees.

Superintendent of police Virender Tomar said the statement of all six girls was recorded and the accused were booked under Section 354 A (punishment for sexual harassment) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 12 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) on Tuesday.

Staff members in the ashram said the police were slow to act in the case.

“The policemen visited the child protection home in uniform. This should not be done in a place where we house children. They should have come in plain clothes,” said an officer in the state women and child development department, requesting anonymity.

“The child protection home is situated in a remote area and six girls have alleged sexual harassment. This does not mean that only six were abused. The number could be more. All inmates should be medically examined,” the officer said.

After the incident, Chamba deputy commissioner Sudesh Mokta has asked to replace the male staff with female employees and also ordered to deploy two women home guards in plain clothes at the protection home, where 28 girls are still living.