An NGO-run shelter home was sealed in Odisha’s Dhenkanal district following allegations that the minor inmates there were sexually abused, while two people, including its chief, were arrested on Sunday, police said.
The action came two-days after District Child Protection Officer (DCPO) Anuradha Goswami and members of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) raided the shelter home, acting on media reports about girls being abused at the facility.
“The private shelter home, which has been operating illegally at Beltikiri area, was shut down by the police in presence of Dhenkanal Sadar Tehsildar U K Mohapatra and the DCPO,” a district official said.
Dhenkanal Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Sk Abdul Karim said the managing director of the shelter home, Fayaz Rahman, and another employee, Udit Lima, were arrested Sunday.
The in-charge of the home, Simanchal Nayak, was arrested on Saturday.
The girls at the home had alleged that they were harassed sexually, physically and mentally by Nayak over the past two years.
Nayak has, however, denied the allegations and said they had done so as he had tried to enforce discipline at the shelter home.
Odisha Women and Child Development Minister (WCD) Prafulla Samal has described the centre as “unregistered and illegal”, and ordered its immediate closure.
Asserting that strict action would be taken against the offenders, she said district collectors across the state have been asked to shut down all 22 branches of the shelter home, operated by NGO Good News India.