Sexual exploitation of mentally retarded girls figures in Council

Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 7: Replying to the calling attention notice by B. R. Kundal,  the Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Ali Mohammad Sagar said that the District Administration Jammu on receiving a complaint by a social activist regarding the alleged suspicious activities in the Rotatory Inner Wheel Home for Mentally Retarded Children, Channi Rama, constituted a committee of officers and experts for conducting detailed investigation into the allegations.
The Committee comprised Additional Deputy Commissioner, Jammu, SDPO City East, Jammu, one lady Doctor, one Psychiatrist and Director, Child Line, Jammu after threadbare analyses and investigation came to the conclusion that some of the girl inmates of the Home were subjected to sexual abuse by members of the staff and also from persons outside the Home.
The Committee further concluded that the overall environment of the Home in its present form is not conducive and supportive for healthy existence of these mentally unsound children.
He said that consequent upon this, case FIR No.183/2013 U/S 376(c), 109/PRC was registered at P/S Bahu Fort and SSP, Jammu vide his order No.CRB/13/38190-95/DPOJ dated 05-09-2013 constituted a Special Investigating Team (SIT) headed by Rajeshwar Singh, SP City South Jammu. During investigation of the case, Angad Kumar, Surjit Kumar, Girdhari Lal Koul (Principal Rotary Inner Wheel Home for Mentally Retarded Children Channi Rama, Rajinder Kapoor (Secretary Rotary Inner Wheel Home for Mentally Retarded Children), Dr. Raj Sharma and Dr. Raman Sharma (Owners of Aastha Nursing Home Amphalla, Jammu) have been arrested by the Police so far.
The Minister added that the other accused namely P.N Dubey and Ravi Dubey of the Rotary Inner Wheel Home who are also involved in the case are yet to be arrested. Efforts are being made to trace and arrest them, he added
He said the investigation also revealed that one of the inmates of the Home who was sexually exploited had become pregnant and her abortion was done in Aastha Nursing Home Amphalla without informing the police and the civil administration.
The Minister said that the Deputy Commissioner, Jammu has taken over the management of the Home and kept it under the supervision of a committee headed by ADC, Jammu. The Committee is monitoring regularly the day to day activities of the Home and is taking all necessary measures for the welfare of the inmates.
He said that the High Court has also directed for conducting medical examination of 9 more minor girls in addition to the 5 girls who were earlier got medically examined. Further action in this behalf is being taken by the District Administration Jammu.
The Minister informed that further investigations in the case are going on and all out efforts are being made by the SIT to bring out the truth in the case and nab all culprits.