Parbhani pathshala official held for abuse of 2 minors

AURANGABAD: The director of a Ved Pathshala in

Parbhani

was arrested and two minor boys detained on Friday for alleged sexual abuse of two children aged 9 and 10.


The boys were allegedly beaten up and their private parts tied with manja (

kite

string) for not properly reciting shlokas while eating on the night of September 13. The children were told not to remove the manja till the morning. This led to swelling and injuries to their private parts.

Two senior boys and the director were booked under various provisions of the IPC, the Anti-Ragging Act, the Juvenile Justice Act as well as POCSO.

The boys’ parents from

Akola

learnt of the incident and took the children to hospital. Later, they approached Parbhani superintendent of police Krishnakant Upadhyay. He told TOI that the parents were informed by the pathshala that their children’s condition was not good.

“The parents rushed to Parbhani on September 14 and, finding the boys in a bad state, admitted them to hospital. The relatives were well acquainted with the director of the pathshala,” he said.

“The children narrated their ordeal to their relatives, following which they approached me. The issue was serious so I immediately directed them to the police station. The police arrested one person while two minors were detained and further investigation is in progress,” said Upadhyay.

Deputy superintendent of police Rajesh Pardeshi said the boys were enrolled at the pathshala, run by Sudhir Kulkarni (50), about a year ago. “The police have found that six boys are studying at the pathshala.”

Pardeshi said Kulkarni and the two minor boys have been charged under various sections of the IPC, including 307 (attempt to murder) 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means) 506 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (common intention).

They have also been booked under the provisions of the Protection of Children Against Sexual Offences Act (Pocso) 2012 as well as under the Maharashtra Prohibition of Ragging Act and the Juvenile Justice Act.

The police said the parents alleged that senior boys at the pathshala would often give their children burns, beat them with iron pipes and sexually assault them.