Juhapura orphanage molestation: Trustee, guard summoned

AHMEDABAD: The women’s police cell of city crime branch on Tuesday summoned two persons in connection with the case of alleged molestation at an orphanage in the

Juhapura

area of the city.

A senior police official said that the orphanage’s trustee, Arshad Siddiqui, and guard, Shoeb Siddiqui, in the case.

On August 10, police lodged an FIR after two girls spoke about the molestation with a team from the social justice and empowerment department during an inspection of the orphanage. Arshad Siddiqui was booked for molestation and under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Shoeb Siddiqui was charged with beating the girls.

“The girls were also made to clean the orphanage and if they refused, they were beaten by the guard,” said a police official.

The incident came into light when a team of the child protection unit of the social justice and empowerment department visited the orphanage for girls on August 8. On these occurences being uncovered, a complaint was filed with Mahila (West) police station for the beating of three girls while two girls filed complaints of molestation.

The two girls who alleged molestation were sent to the Odhav shelter home.

Sources said one of the staffers at the orphanage had complained to the authorities about the alleged instances of beatings, after which the action had been initiated.