Umeed Ghar ‘abuse’: Cops to file report in 3 days

The Child Welfare Committee (CWC) has asked the Delhi Police to investigate the alleged sexual abuse of minor boys at a south Delhi children’s home. The police has to submit a report in three days and file an FIR.

The Child Welfare Committee (CWC) has asked the Delhi Police to investigate the alleged sexual abuse of minor boys at a south Delhi children’s home. The police has to submit a report in three days and file an FIR.

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Sources said a five-member police team along with an NGO will visit Umeed Aman Ghar, near Qutub Minar. “We have been speaking to the children and need to question more staff. We were supposed to submit the report by Monday but have sought three more days,” a senior police officer said.

“The police has been told to identify the victims and the accused. We have also asked them to involve a special juvenile police unit to interact with children,” a CWC member said.

The alleged sexual abuse took place in February 2012 but came to light in the first week of July when a former employee lodged a complaint with the committee. The employee alleged that three boys were ‘sexually abused’ by older boys in the home and no action was taken against them. She had alleged that the victims had not even been counselled.

In a statement, Anwar ul Haque, in charge of the home, had said the three boys were expelled from the home for making “unwanted sexual advances”. Haque had also said all precautions had been taken after the incident had come to light.