NCPCR steps in, asks Odisha SP to probe sexual exploitation charge in Kalahandi school

NCPCR told Kalahandi SP to report on the allegations of sexual exploitation of children in a private school in the district that has been in the spotlight after its school managing committee president was arrested for murder

Updated on: Nov 13, 2021, 01:09:47 IST

By Debabrata Mohanty

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BHUBANESWAR: The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has asked Odisha’s Kalahandi district police chief to probe allegations of sexual exploitation of minor girls in a public school whose teacher was allegedly murdered and buried in an under-construction stadium last month. The superintendent of police (SP) has been told to file a report within three days.

The NCPCR directive to send across a report comes amid allegations by Odisha’s Opposition that students and possibly, some staffers were sexually harassed and exploited by the top official of a private school in Kalahandi.

Since October when the charred remains of Mamita Meher, a school teacher in a private school in Mahalinga panchayat of Kalahandi was found in an under-construction stadium, opposition BJP and Congress have taken to streets alleging that a sex racket flourished there patronised by Gobind Sahu, the president of the school’s managing committee.

Sahu is accused of strangling 26-year-old Meher, a teacher in the school, in his car somewhere in Kalahandi district on October 8 after the latter allegedly threatened to expose her extramarital affairs. He then allegedly dismembered the body, burnt it and buried it in the under-construction stadium. He was arrested on October 19 and is in judicial custody.

Opposition parties have alleged that a sex racket was being operated in the school’s hostel for girls, and the students and female staffers were sexually harassed by Sahu.

In its letter to Kalahandi SP Vivek Saravana, NCPCR such allegations of sexual exploitation of the children. “The accused used to tempt the girls for good marks in examination and minister of state home Dibyashankar Mishra used to visit the school frequently. Both girls, as well as boys of the educational institution, were exploited,” the NCPCPR said.

The police officer has been told to send the information on action taken against the accused, and the other details of the schools including the number of students, age group of boys and girls who were allegedly exploited in the school and whether a case was registered in accordance with Section 19/21 of Pocso Act. It however advised the SP to be careful to ensure that the identities of the victims are not disclosed during the process of investigation.

Though BJD has stridently defended minister of state Mishra saying he could not be held accountable for the crimes allegedly committed by Sahu, opposition BJP and Congress continued to wave black flags and throw eggs at ministers. BJP and Congress workers pelted eggs at Mishra, agriculture minister Arun Sahu and women and child development minister Tukuni Sahu’s vehicles over last week.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debabrata Mohanty
Debabrata Mohanty is a senior assistant editor of Hindustan Times who works as state correspondent from Odisha covering the state's politics, governance, public policy, natural disasters, environment and its society for close to three decades. With his long years of reporting from the state capital of Bhubaneswar, Mohanty has been known as one of the most experienced and credible journalists covering Odisha for the national English dailies. His reporting combines on-ground detail with deep institutional knowledge detailing the state's changing politics, governance issues, administrative reforms and the functioning of its public institutions. He has regularly reported on issues ranging from legislative developments and public policy implementation. Politics is his core areas of expertise as he closely tracks Odisha's political landscape, including the rise and transformation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the two principal political parties in Odisha. His long association with the state's political establishment enables him to write on contemporary developments in a larger political context. Mohanty takes a deep interest in writing human interest stories, environmental issues and documenting the impact of cyclones, floods, heatwaves, and other climate-related events in one of the most disaster-prone states. His coverage extends to public health, governance reforms and stories on accountability of government institutions. Before joining Hindustan Times, Mohanty worked with The Indian Express, Mail Today, and The Telegraph, where he covered at least six general elections and as many assembly elections. In 2007, he was selected for the prestigious Chevening Young Indian Print Journalist Programme at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, where he received advanced training in print journalism. In 2009 he won the Press Institute of India-International Committee of Red Cross award on conflict reporting for his on-ground reportage of 2008 Kandhamal riots.Read More

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