A 12-year-old girl was found to be pregnant after she was repeatedly raped for about four months by an employee in a state-run welfare home in Cooch Behar district of North Bengal. The incident came to light when the district Child Welfare Committee (CWC) officials conducted a routine inquiry at the welfare home.
“The police have already arrested the accused, Kachua Mian. Mian, who is in his thirties, also used to molest another minor,” said Sunil Yadav, superintendent of police, Cooch Behar district.
Mian used to work as a cleaner at Sahid Bandana Mahila Smriti Abash, a welfare home for minors, which is 700 km from Kolkata.
CWC members were earlier told about the incident by an inmate. They visited the home on January 4. The FIR was lodged on the same day and the accused was arrested on January 7.
“A medical test performed on the victim confirmed her pregnancy. The incident was hushed up and I have demanded an explanation from the SP of the home who wanted to keep it a secret. I have asked the district magistrate to submit a detailed report,” said Sashi Panja, minister for women and child development and social welfare.