Muzaffarpur shelter-home: SC bars media from publishing minors' visuals
The SC has taken suo motu cognizance of the Muzaffapur shelter home sex abuse case. Among its first directions were instructions to media not to publish visuals of the minor victims, even in blurred or morphed form. It has also been restricted from interviewing them. The court has served notices to the Bihar government, Women and Child Development Ministry and TISS.
TISS flagged the abuse as early as April
The horrors came to light after TISS flagged rampant abuse at 14 shelters in Bihar, including Balika Grih. The state government had asked TISS to conduct an audit of these institutions last August. It submitted its report in April. "Almost all institutions (110) were...in violation of...the Juvenile Justice Act, but the residents' inalienable right to life was in question at certain institutions," it said.
At least nine people arrested
Police lodged an FIR against NGO Sewa Sankalp Evam Vikas Samiti, which was running Balika Grih, on May 31. It was sealed soon after. Initial probe revealed widespread sexual abuse. There were allegations a minor inmate had been killed and buried in the premises after she had an altercation with the staff. Owner Brajesh Thakur, Vineet Kumar, and seven other staff members were arrested.
Girls were starved, drugged, forced to sleep naked, raped
The girls told cops they were starved, forced to sleep naked, and beaten regularly. Sedatives would be mixed in their food, they said. A 10-year-old said she was made to sleep in Brajesh's room and heard "aunties" talking about "visitors." They used to cut their hands and legs with glass to escape abuse. 470 girls have been brought into the home in five years.
NGO owners apparently had influential friends
The accused presumably had contacts in high places. An arrested official's wife has alleged a minister's husband used to regularly visit the home. Neighbors said they frequently heard screams from the home, but "never got the courage to intervene as Brajesh Thakur was a muscleman." Moreover, a month after the FIR was filed, the NGO was awarded another government project, before it was cancelled.
CBI probe ordered, opposition demands investigation into other homes
The TISS report flagged similar abuse patterns at several other shelter homes, including at boys' homes in Motihari (NGO Nirdesh), Bhagalpur (NGO Rupam Pragati Samaj Samiti), Munger (NGO Panaah) and Gaya (NGO DORD). Last week, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, under pressure, ordered a CBI probe into the Balika Grih incident. The opposition has demanded an investigation into the other homes too.
Left parties block road, rail traffic in protest
Left parties in Bihar launched a statewide shutdown today demanding justice. Opposition parties like RJD, Congress and Samajwadi Party have backed the protests. Trains were stopped in Madhubani, Darbhanga, Jahanabad, Gaya, Patna and Bhojpur. Roads were blocked in Bhojpur, Siwan, Patna, Nawada, Arwal and Jagabad.
