Two minor ashram inmates sodomised; superintendent booked

A 76-year-old hostel superintendent of government aided ashram here has been booked for allegedly sodomising two minor tribal inmates, police said today.
According to District Superintendent of Police, Rahul Bhagat, the incident came to light last week on Thursday night after the victims, aged 10 and 12 years, informed their parents over phone that hostel superintendent Swami Ramanand Saraswati used to call them to his room and sexually assault them.
Following which parents lodged a complaint on Saturday. But as soon as the incident came to light, the accused went absconding, the SP said.
A four-member team headed by Sub-Divisional Officer of Police (SDOP) Rama Patel has been set up to investigate the matter and trace him, the official added.

The ashram -- Arya Vidya Sabha -- is a government aided Gurukul for students in Lailunga region of Chhatisgarh's Raigarh district, housing around 332 students from class VI-XII.
A case has been registered against Saraswati for sexually harassing and indulging in unnatural sex with the inmates under section 377 and 506 B of the IPC, besides being charged under sections of Protection of Child from Sexual Offences Act (POSCO Act 2012) and Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, police said.
Meanwhile, Raigarh Collector Mukesh Bansal has also constituted a high level committee led by Zila Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Rajesh Singh Rana to probe the incident and submit its report within 48 hours.

According to sources, Saraswati, who was a pracharak of the Arya Sabha, joined as the Superintendent in 2006-07.