National, Haryana child rights panels for action against child welfare units of Bhiwani

Bhartesh Singh Thakur

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Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 3

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) and Haryana State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (HSCPCR) have called for action against members of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), Bhiwani, and District Child Protection Unit (DCPU), Bhiwani, for their dubious role in a case involving multiple rapes and molestations of a 16-year-old Assamese girl. The members allegedly forced the victim to change her statement regarding a sexually explicit counselling session by a DCPU counsellor.

“We have passed strictures against the police too. Their role has also come under scanner in a local court order, dated June 25, in a prostitution racket case, where the victim was sent to customers,” said Chairperson, HSCPCR, Jyoti Bainda.

The girl, who has studied up to Class VI, hails from the Tinsukia district of Assam. A native of her village Roshan Ali brought her to Delhi on the pretext of providing her a cleaning job on March 30, 2020, but handed her over to a man who abused her.

A woman, Usha, brought her to Charkhi Dadri and allegedly forced her into prostitution. As per an FIR, dated April 3, she said that once “madam” (Usha) sent her with two men who molested her, but let her off after she raised her voice. The next time, she was sent to a hotel, where she was raped. However, she escaped and with the help of passers-by and reached police station, following which a case was registered.

During the medical examination, the victim was found two-and-a-half-month pregnant and her abortion was carried out at PGIMS, Rohtak, in April.

The victim said that during a counselling session on May 7 at Bhiwani Child Care Institution, counsellor Hari Krishan “uncle” of DCPU, Bhiwani, asked her objectionable questions. After the HSCPCR intervened, an FIR was registered on May 22 under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act against him. He has been put under suspension now.

“An unnecessary hurry was made by the police for the bone ossification test of the victim in this case to prove that she was a major. Whereas the ossification test in the prostitution case had already established that she was a minor,” said Bainda.

She added, “It has also come on record that a member of the CWC Bhiwani, Legal Prohibition Officer DCPU Bhiwani Manoj, and an assistant professor of MNS Government College are allegedly involved in forcing the girl to change her statement in the name of counselling sessions. We have recommended action against them. Manoj was arrested too.” The victim was later shifted to a Sonepat shelter home on May 29. On June 25, the court passed strictures for carrying out the test identification of Usha when the victim was Covid positive and was not in a position to identify her.

Only a customer has been arrested so far in the prostitution case, while three accused, including Usha, are yet to be arrested. As per the FIR, the victim has claimed that Usha has 15 girls for running prostitution racket.

The victim’s parents are yet to be traced.