Maneka takes officials to task over cases of child abuse

Union Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi Thursday took state representatives and central bureaucrats to task, in the presence of Home Minister Rajnath Singh, over rising number of sexual assault cases in children's shelter homes.

Speaking at the launch of a national registry of sex offenders, Gandhi pulled up representatives of those states which did not respond to a letter sent by her ministry on procurement of 'rape kits', a specially-designed kit which helps carry out immediate medical investigation into sexual assault cases.

How many rape kits have been procured so far? she asked the officials at the function, which was attended by Union Ministers of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, Hansraj Gangaram Ahir, Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba and top officials of the ministries of home and women and child development. Top police and civil officers of the states attended the event via video conferencing.

"Twenty to 30 per cent of sexual assaults take place in shelter homes. In Muzaffarpur in Bihar, the head of a shelter home allegedly sexually assaulted several children, but he was not arrested immediately. There was a tunnel from the shelter home to his house, that means the crimes must have taken place in his residence. I appeal to all DGPs to keep a close eye on all shelter homes," she said.

Stating that not a single state responded to the letter sent by her ministry on the issue of procurement of 'rape kits', Maneka said, "Every police station should have at least three rape kits. But not a single state has responded to our letter and informed how many such kits were procured (by them)."