Ashram teacher, once hailed hero, now accused of sexual abuse
A teacher at an Ujjain ashram who was hailed as a hero for helping a minor rape victim in September 2023 has now been branded as a villain himself. Twenty-one-year-old Rahul Sharma and ashram caretaker Ajay Thakur have been accused of sexually abusing at least three minor boys at the ashram. Both people are currently under judicial custody after being charged under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and several sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act.
Allegations surface against ashram staff
The matter was brought to light after one of the alleged victims complained to his mother that Thakur had sexually abused him when he came back home. "The parents of the child came to the ashram. Then the ashram worker Thakur was sacked," a senior police officer stated. This incident led to more parents visiting the ashram and leveling allegations.
There are many more victims in this case: Police
The ashram authorities eventually contacted the police after several parents made complaints against Sharma and clashed with an ashram official. To their surprise, the police found out that the ashram officials were the actual culprits. "There are many more victims in this case, and we tried to convince them to file a case. Policemen dressed in civil clothes also tried speaking to the children, but they refused as they were scared," an officer said.
Ashram case not linked to September rape case
However, the police have ruled out any connection with the September rape case for the time being. "We sent through 200 CCTV videos and his (Sharma) role has so far been ruled out," said a senior police officer Sharma was once hailed as a hero after he claimed to have helped the minor girl who was allegedly raped by an autorickshaw driver and abandoned to seek help herself, bleeding and partially clothed.
Sharma claimed he helped the rape victim
CCTV footage of the incident showed no one coming to the minor's aid as she roamed about the area for an hour. The footage showed one resident even shooing the girl away. Sharma claimed he helped the girl after spotting her outside the ashram. "This is a holy town, people here are supposed to be helpful, but no one helped her... there was no humanity," Sharma told the Indian Express then.
