Guard sent to custody, medical test on Tuesday

A day after 36-year-old Navrattan, a guard at Arya Orphanage in Daryaganj, was arrested for allegedly raping an 11-year-old girl, who lived at the facility, the Delhi Police have decided to get his medical examination conducted.

A day after 36-year-old Navrattan, a guard at Arya Orphanage in Daryaganj, was arrested for allegedly raping an 11-year-old girl, who lived at the facility, the Delhi Police have decided to get his medical examination conducted.

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Navrattan has denied raping the girl, police sources said.

"He was sent to judicial custody on Sunday. As of now, he has denied raping the girl. However, he told the police that he often had to be harsh with kids to discipline them," said a senior police official.

With Monday being a government holiday, the police have decided to get his medical examination conducted on Tuesday.

PP Dhal, the government-appointed administrator, will submit his report on Wednesday. "Counsellors have been interacting with the children, but such exercises take time. A report will be prepared by Wednesday," said Dhal.

Police officials said that the children have become emotionally vulnerable and are not giving details now. Many are even refusing to give statements.

Reports prepared by an NGO and semi-judicial authority Child Welfare Committee had pointed out cases of serial sexual and physical abuse inside the orphanage.

Police teams had visited Arya Orphanage to carry out the investigation.

Many boys and girls approached the police and NGO Haq: Centre for Child Rights narrating their tales of trauma. Most of them were sexually abused by the orphanage staff or inmates. Later, another FIR was filed, in which the mother of a 12-year-old boy was the complainant.