In a shocking revelation, minor girls at a children’s facility in Indore have come forward with harrowing stories of abuse, leading to the sealing of the institution by local authorities. The alleged atrocities include branding with hot tongs, hanging children upside down, and forcing them to inhale smoke from burning red chillies.
The distressing accounts were disclosed by the victims before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), prompting the immediate closure of the facility, named “Vatsalyapuram,” by the local administration. Subsequently, an FIR was filed against five women associated with the institution for purportedly subjecting the children to cruel punishment.
According to a police official, the FIR, registered on January 17, details instances of a four-year-old girl being beaten for wearing dirty clothes, locked in a bathroom for hours, and deprived of food for two days. Additionally, allegations include children being hung upside down and forced to inhale smoke from red chillies placed on a hot pan.
The accused women, affiliated with the facility described as an “orphanage,” now face charges under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act. The administration sealed the premises on January 12, citing illegal operation, and relocated the girls aged between four and 14 years to state-run Child Protection Homes.
However, the NGO running the facility, the Jain Welfare Society, contests the characterization of Vatsalyapuram as an orphanage, insisting it is a hostel catering to children from economically weaker families. The NGO has filed a habeas corpus petition in the Madhya Pradesh High Court, challenging the administration’s actions and denying all allegations mentioned in the FIR.
Vibhor Khandelwal, counsel for the Jain Welfare Society, asserted that the administration had “unauthorisedly” sealed Vatsalyapuram without following due process and claimed that the children were moved out of the shelter under illegal detention. The habeas corpus petition seeks the return of the children to the hostel administration or their parents.
While investigations into the allegations are in the early stages, authorities reveal that the rescued children are natives of Rajasthan and Gujarat. Pallavi Porwal, the chairperson of the Indore-based Child Welfare Committee, stated that they have written to the respective committees in these states to ascertain the socio-economic background of the children for proper rehabilitation.
As the legal battle unfolds, the disturbing case highlights the need for stringent measures to protect vulnerable children in such facilities and ensure swift justice for victims of abuse.
