Deoria shelter: UP min assures strict action against perpetrators

A day after the Deoria Police rescued 24 girls from a shelter home, Uttar Pradesh Women and Child Welfare Minister Rita Bahugana Joshi on Monday assured that strict action would be taken against those involved in the incident and said that a thorough investigation on the same is underway.

Speaking to the media, Joshi said the Deoria shelter home was running illegally.

"After CBI inspection last year, it was established that Deoria shelter home centre was running illegally without norms. A direction was issued to shift the inmates and shut it. But this order was not followed," Joshi stated.

She added that a child was rescued yesterday and had filed a complaint.

Joshi continued, "On August 1, an FIR was lodged to shut the shelter home immediately as illegal acts were being carried out. The number of children enrolled at the centre as per records are not present. One child was rescued yesterday, who has filed a complaint. An investigation is underway."

She further said that once the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) report comes, strict action would be taken against the perpetrators.

Meanwhile, Additional Director General (ADG) (Law and Order) Anand Kumar said that the rescued children would be sent for medical examination.

He said, "It (The case) will be investigated. The concerned district administration is already taking action in this regard. Women and child development ministry is also looking into the matter. The children will be sent for medical examination. The truth will be brought out."

The Deoria Police also arrested a man and his wife, who were managers at the shelter home. The incident came to light after a girl escaped from the shelter home and informed the police how they were all treated like servants.

In a similar incident, employees of a shelter home in Bihar's Muzaffarpur were arrested last month for allegedly sexually harassing the girls here.

On receiving information, the police raided the vicinity and rescued 44 girls.