VIJAYAWADA: Vijayawada city police booked the organisers of an NGO, Annamma School for Hearing and Physically Handicapped and Baby Centre, in Ibrahimpatnam and arrested one person for allegedly sexually exploiting children with special needs in the shelter home.
A case was registered under IPC Section 376, Section 75 of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 and relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The NGO is run by one Dasari Vasantha Kumari and her husband Y Venkateswara Rao, an employee at the Dr Narla Tata Rao Thermal Power Plant in Ibrahimpatnam.
A week ago, NTR District Collector Dilli Rao had received a complaint against the NGO, alleging that Home secretary Venkateshwara Rao and another person had exploited physically challenged, and speech and hearing impaired girls living in the Home. They threatened the children of dire consequences, if they informed anyone of the crime.
The collector constituted a special committee comprising police officers and officials of the revenue, women and child welfare departments, and Childline helpline. He instructed them to inspect the Home and submit a report.
Rao further directed Vijayawada City Police Commissioner Kanthi Rana Tata to take action against the management of the Home based on the report.
The report, submitted on Wednesday, revealed that Vasantha Kumari allowed violated the rules by allowing outsiders inside the shelter home late in the night. She did not even maintain any records on the funds received from the government and donors.
Kanthi Rana Tata elaborated, "Children living in the Home told the officials that Venkateswara Rao would stay in the building in the night and sexually assault them. Taking advantage of the situation, another person also tried to molest the girls. As many as four girls were sexually abused in the Home. Based on the Collector’s instructions, a case was registered and Rao was arrested. A report on the same has been sent to energy officials concerned to initiate departmental action against him. A team has been formed to nab Vasantha Kumari and the other person who are at large."
Stating that they are verifying the details of the funds that the NGO has received, Dilli Rao said, "The victims were sent to a government general hospital for medical examination and then shifted to Vijaya Mary School for Blind in Gunadala along with nine other girls. As many as 28 boys were sent to Sirisha Rehabilitation Centre in Gudivada."
Taking strong exception to the incident, State Child Rights Protection Committee (SCRPC) members J Rajendra Prasad, G Seetharam and Mahila Commision member B Vineetha visited the shelter home and demanded stringent action against the accused secretary and others involved in the crime. The SCPCR members further interacted with the victims, other inmates and staff at the Home.
"Strict instructions have been given to ICDS officials and the child welfare department to visit all the schools in the district to identify irregularities, if any. We have sought a detailed report on the activities of Annamma NGO and instructed officials to take stern action against the organisers," SCPCR member Rajendra Prasad said.