Another staffer held for sexual harassment at HP care home

All four accused, including three arrested earlier, produced in a local court that remanded them to threeday police custody; medical reports of six complainant girls do not establish rape or sexual harassment

Police on Friday arrested another employee of the child protection home in a remote area of Chamba district in Himachal Pradesh after six girls living at the facility accused them of sexual harassment.

The accused was arrested after he returned from vacation on Thursday.

The medical reports of the six girls, however, have not indicated rape or sexual harassment.

“The last 24 hours are crucial in medical examination in such cases. In this case, reports are normal,” a doctor said.

The police produced all four accused in a local court that remanded them to three-day police custody.

The footage from the CCTV cameras is also being scrutinised, said police.

The department has started the process to transfer staff of the child protection home in Chilli area of Tissa.

“After new staff joins, we will go for counselling of all girls in the child protection home,” district child protection officer (DCPO) Chamba, PK Gupta, said.

Superintendent of police Virender Tomar said a case had been registered under Section 354A (punishment for sexual harassment) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 12 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO).

After the incident was reported, Chamba deputy commissioner Sudesh Mokta had asked for replacement of the male staff with female employees and ordered deployment of two women home guards in plain clothes at the protection home, where 28 girls are still living.

Earlier, three employees of a child protection home in a remote area of Chamba district in Himachal Pradesh were arrested after six girls living at the facility accused them of sexually harassment, police said on Wednesday.

The child protection home in Chilli in Tissa, over 100km from district headquarters Chamba, is run by the Himachal Pradesh Council for Child Welfare. There are 34 girls in the shelter home managed by seven staff members including two women.

A 16-year-old girl complained to the home in charge, Juma Khan, on Monday about being sexually harassed by a clerk, cook, and sweeper. Later, five other girls also approached Khan accusing the same staff of harassing them.

Khan reported the matter to Chamba deputy commissioner, who in turn informed the police.

The accused have been arrested and booked under section 354 A (sexual harassment and punishment for sexual harassment) of the Indian Penal Code and section 12 (punishment for sexual harassment) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO).

After new staff joins, we will go for counselling of all girls in the child protection home. PK GUPTA, district child protection officer, Chamba