NEW DELHI: Four women personnel, including a welfare officer and an in-charge, of a Dwarka private shelter home were arrested on Saturday after some girl inmates alleged that they were abused at the facility.
During an inspection of the private shelter home on Thursday, the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) found that girl inmates were severely punished by the staff for not following rules. Some four-six senior girls had alleged that the women staff put chilli powder in their private parts as a punishment and they were forced to have chilli powder, the DCW had said.
Subsequently, an FIR was registered with the police station at Dwarka’s Sector 23 against the four shelter home employees, who were charged with relevant sections of the POCSO Act and the Juvenile Justice Act.
The DCW had alerted the DCP, Dwarka and statements of the children were recorded as a follow-up action. Also, it was decided that the police would be deployed round-the-clock at the home.
Other than the welfare officer and the in-charge, two house ‘mothers’ were among the arrested. The four arrested home staff were sent to judicial custody and further investigation is underway, the police said.
DCW chairperson Swati Maliwal said the behaviour towards the girls was unacceptable and wondered why the child welfare committee was not able to find it during its inspections.
“Have been informed that 4 shelter home staff have been arrested by Delhi Police. Request CWC to ensure new management of the Home and protection for the girls. They need to be rehabilitated properly (sic),” she tweeted. “Also request Centre to ensure inspection of all shelter homes across the country by sensitive officers at war footing. When abuse can be prevalent in shelter home in Delhi, one can imagine what must be going on in the entire country.”
Incidentally, the DCW had set up an expert committee in consultation with the Delhi government to inspect various private and government-run shelter homes and give suggestions for their improvement.
At the same time, Maliwal requested the authorities to not separate the girls by transferring them to another shelter home and change the staff instead.