The women police in Chikkaballapur have filed charges against the Superintendent of the Government Home for Girls and a housekeeping staff member for brutally torturing minor inmates. The incident involves the mistreatment of around 19 minor girls at the rehabilitation center, which is under the supervision of Mamatha M and Saraswathamma.
The two accused are alleged to have physically assaulted two minor girls in separate incidents under the guise of disciplining them. In one case, a 16-year-old girl was beaten with a stick and a plastic pipe after she was caught using a staff member’s mobile phone, which had been left charging. The accused justified the punishment as disciplinary action, but the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) flagged it as a violation of the Juvenile Justice Act.
In another disturbing incident, a 10-year-old girl was tied to a window grill and beaten for allegedly fighting with other inmates. The abuse was uncovered when members of the CWC visited the home for an inspection and spoke with the girls.
An inquiry revealed that the staff members not only subjected the minors to physical and verbal abuse but also forced them to perform chores like sweeping, mopping, and cleaning. Saraswathamma was reportedly in charge of these tasks. These actions have been deemed both corporal punishment and violations of child rights.
Following a complaint filed by senior official Nautaj B, the women police have charged the duo under various sections, including those related to causing harm, violating the law, and breaching the Juvenile Justice Act. Both Mamatha and Saraswathamma have been suspended pending further investigation.
Read Also