Indore shocker | Kids at orphanage stripped, hung upside down, branded with hot iron: FIR
A four-year-old child was locked in the bathroom and not given food for two-three days after he defecated in his pants, read the FIR
More than 20 children at an orphanage in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, have levelled allegations of horrific abuse and torture against its staff after a team of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) carried out a surprise inspection last week.
According to the police, the children told officials that the staff would torture them over minor mistakes. “The children told the team that they were hung upside down, branded with hot iron and photographed after being stripped,” officials said. They were also made to inhale smoke after burning red chillies.
An FIR has been lodged against five employees of the orphanage under the Juvenile Justice Act and the IPC following a complaint from the CWC. The complaint also sought charges against them under the POCSO Act and human trafficking. However, no arrest has been made so far. Police said they are corroborating the charges made by the children who gave statements to the inspection team.
“A four-year-old child was locked in the bathroom and not given food for two-three days after he defecated in his pants,” the FIR said.
Orphanage not registered
Police said the orphanage – run by the Vatsalyapuram Jain Trust – had not been registered under the Juvenile Justice Act. The Trust also has orphanages in Bengaluru, Surat, Jodhpur and Kolkata.
“The case was registered based on a complaint filed by the CWC. The orphanage was immediately sealed and the children were shifted to government facilities,” said Amrendra Singh, Additional Commissioner of Police. He said they are investigating the allegations of the horrific abuse.
Police said the team has also submitted pictures of children's injuries along with its complaint. It is learnt that the children at the facility are orphans from Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Odisha, and Madhya Pradesh.