Dhenkanal: Police Saturday arrested the in-charge of a shelter home run by ‘Good News India’, an NGO at Belatigiri in Dhenkanal district, following allegations that the girl inmates were sexually harassed.
He has been identified as Simanchal Naik.
A joint team of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) and District Child Protection Unit Friday raided the shelter home following media reports on alleged sexual abuse against the girls.
The girls have accused Naik and Faiz Rahman, head of the NGO, of touching them inappropriately besides torturing them both mentally and physically.
Meanwhile, police have launched a manhunt for Rahman. The District Child Protection Officer Anuradha Goswami has lodged a complaint against the shelter home at Sadar police station.
Sources said the shelter home has been operating for the last two years without registration under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.
According to reports, the residents of the home are minor children, both boys and girls, who are mostly orphans.
The NGO takes care of the children and their education.
“The chief often calls girls to his room and touches them inappropriately. He also makes us do his personal chores like washing clothes,” an inmate said.
The boys accused him of making casteist remarks at them. They also complained of substandard food being served to them.
The boys said they have been threatened with violence if they open their mouths.
The children have been disallowed form going outside and were punished even for small things. Most of the inmates are living in an atmosphere of fear, sources said.
The local residents have urged the administration to cancel the licence of the NGO and close the shelter home. They demanded that the children should be rehabilitated as most of them are orphans.
PNN