Chavan orders police probe in city shelter home case

Worried by allegations that inmates of a government-run rehabilitation centre at Mankhurd were beaten up and raped repeatedly by anti-social elements, chief minister Prithviraj Chavan has asked the crime branch of the city police to investigate the case and submit a report within a week.

Worried by allegations that inmates of a government-run rehabilitation centre at Mankhurd were beaten up and raped repeatedly by anti-social elements, chief minister Prithviraj Chavan has asked the crime branch of the city police to investigate the case and submit a report within a week.

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A news report, on Monday, quoted one of the inmates of Mahila Sudhar Gruha at Mankhurd, who had fled the home on Saturday allegedly because of constant threats, as saying that several of her fellow inmates had been raped by armed men during the night. She said the staff and police posted at the centre looked the other way.

Chavan said the crime branch would probe the claims made in the media report. “I have asked for a report within a week’s time,” he said.

Home minister RR Patil instructed the crime branch head, joint commissioner Himanshu Roy, who in turn has formed teams to locate the escaped women and record their statements.