DEHRADUN: In a significant development in the case of alleged exploitation of children under the guise of social work, the Uttarakhand State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (USCPCR) conducted a high-stakes raid on a private facility in Khairi village, Premnagar, on Tuesday.
The premises, operating under the banner of "Medical Ambassador," is now the subject of investigation following evidence suggesting the centre was a front for religious brainwashing and potential forced conversions.
The crackdown, spearheaded by USCPCR Chairperson Dr Geeta Khanna, has unearthed a web of irregularities, raising concerns about the misuse of vulnerable children and international funding. During the inspection, the commission’s team seized a cache of documents, registers, promotional literature, and posters.
Preliminary scrutiny of the materials indicates that the facility’s purported mandate—providing education and social support to children—was a smokescreen. Instead, investigators found evidence pointing toward organized activities designed to influence individuals’ religious beliefs.
"It is a matter of grave concern when the innocence of children, their education, or the vulnerabilities of disability are exploited to further hidden religious or ideological agendas," stated Dr Geeta Khanna following the raid.
"Our duty is to ensure children receive quality education and protection, not to see them become conduits for manipulation or pressure," Chairperson Dr Khanna told TNIE.
The investigation revealed that the facility lacked a structured educational curriculum. Staffing details were sparse, with only one driver from Manipur identified on-site, alongside a family from Pauri district that had been residing on the premises for years.
Crucially, documents recovered from the site point toward the potential receipt of international funding and alleged links to a hospital located on Canal Road, prompting calls for a wider probe.
The commission suspects this is not an isolated incident but a wider network operating across state lines. The involvement of foreign capital has added a layer of complexity, leading the commission to hand over all seized evidence, including digital and physical files, to the police for advanced forensic investigation.
Dr Khanna emphasised that the commission is not stopping at the seizure. "If the ongoing investigation confirms illegal activities, misuse of foreign funding, or acts of conversion, then stringent legal action will be initiated against the individuals and entities involved," she asserted.
The operation was supervised by the commission’s Secretary, SK Barnwal.
