TIRUCHY: The chairperson of the Tamil Nadu Commission for Protection of Child Rights (TNCPCR), Pudukkottai Vijaya, on Tuesday visited the two homes in Tiruchy where 81 girls were shifted to following alleged abuse at a government-aided children’s home, and indicated that lapses in monitoring may have allowed the situation to continue unnoticed.
The visit comes a day after four staff members - the superintendent, counsellor, warden and cook - were arrested based on a complaint filed by the district child protection officer.
After interacting with the girls, Vijaya said they appeared relieved and were settling into the new environment. “They told us that they feel safe and are happy here now. But psychologically, they have come from a different situation, and we must support them carefully,” she said.
She said her team had individually spoken to the girls and heard how they were treated in the home, and counselling support is being provided. “If required, we will involve experts to ensure proper psychological rehabilitation,” she said.
Asked whether action would be taken over the apparent lapses, Vijaya said the immediate focus would be on ensuring all necessary rehabilitation measures for the children, while further steps would follow as per procedure.