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Three disabled minors raped at Kolkata’s shelter home, 3 held: Police
Three people were arrested in connection with the rape of at least three visually impaired minors in a shelter home in Kolkata
Two people, including the founder-director of a school-cum-shelter home in Kolkata, were arrested on Thursday for allegedly raping at least three visually impaired girls for more than 10 years, police said on Friday.
Besides the two arrested people, which also includes a former cook, the principal of the institute was held as she was aware but did not report the crime, police added.
According to the West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights (WBCPCR), the matter came to light after a 20-year-old survivor confided in a volunteer of an NGO, who was visiting the shelter home. The volunteer, on Tuesday, then approached the commission over the matter.
“After our counselling, at least three inmates of the house said they were raped when they were minors. One of them, who is now 20 years of age, said she was raped since 2010. Two others said they were raped multiple times in the last five years, till February this year,” WBCPCR chairperson Sudeshna Roy said.
“The counselling of other inmates is on. There may be more cases,” she added.
Roy said there are more than 70 inmates in the institute. “All of them are visually impaired and belong to underprivileged families,” she said.
Police said on the basis of a complaint by the three survivors, one of whom is still a minor, they registered a first information report (FIR) under sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 376 (punishment for rape) of the Indian Penal Code, and under provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act and Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act against founder-director Jabesh Dutta (66) and former cook Bablu Kundu (55).
“We have arrested Dutta and Kundu. Kaberi Das, principal of the institute, was also arrested for not reporting the crime,” a police officer said, seeking anonymity.
The officer also said police are checking whether the home was registered and functioning legally.
People familiar with the matter said Kundu was recently removed from the shelter home by Dutta and Das in February.
