 "Autistic brothers sexually abused by staff at special school in Dehradun")
Two minor boys with Autism were allegedly assaulted and raped by a staffer at a school for children with special needs in Dehradun.
Pramod Kumar, Dehradun Superintendent of Police stated that the two minor boys were admitted into the institution by their mother. During her visit to the school, the boys informed her about the staffer, who has been identified as Monupal (29) from Uttar Pradesh. The minors told their mother that the staffer had been allegedly sexually and physically assaulting them.
“The complainant, their mother, submitted a written complaint, stating that her two differently abled children were physically assaulted and sexually abused by their warden. Based on the complaint, an FIR was registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act,” the SP said.
The social welfare department is now probing into the activities of the special school where the incident has allegedly occurred. “The tutors there are recognised with relevant diplomas. The facility was opened recently,” Kumar said.
The children were sent for medical examinations, and the Child Welfare Committee has been informed of the issue. Kumar said that to facilitate smooth and comfortable communication with the children, the police arranged for a specialist. “The statements of the children and their mother have been taken down by the police,” Kumar added.
The Uttarakhand State Child Rights Commission also took cognisance of the case, and spoke with the children to understand the details. It revealed that the school was operating without valid permissions.
“A woman was running a special school for persons with disabilities, and first of all, it did not have the necessary permissions to operate such a facility. Recently, they hired the accused, Sonu, but his police verification was not done, and we could not find any appointment letters,” said Commission chairperson Geeta Khanna.
Dehradun police said the CCTV footage and digital video records have been seized and “necessary evidence” has been collected. The accused, Monupal, who resides at the school, was arrested on May 31 and presented before the court on Sunday, June 1st.
What is Autism?
Autism is a neurological and neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by atypical and repetitive mannerisms. People on the autism spectrum often struggle with social interaction and communication and display a high level of sensitivity to their environment, which causes intense fear and anxiousness.