Children’s home peon held on charge of repeated sexual abuse of two boys

Pune: The Lonikand police have arrested a 55-year-old peon with a private children's home in Haveli taluka on charges of repeated sexual abuse, harassment and criminal intimidation of two minor boys (aged 11 and 10 years) over the past few months.

"We arrested him late in the night of June 18 after our counterparts at the Ghodegaon police station in rural Pune registered a zero FIR earlier the same day and transferred the case to us for further investigation," senior inspector Sarjerao Kumbhar of the Lonikand police said on Friday.

"We had secured his custodial remand till today (Friday), following which we produced him before a special POCSO court. It ordered his remand under judicial custody for 14 days and he has been sent to the Yerawada central jail," Kumbhar said.

In a related development, Pune district's women and child development officer Manisha Birasis told TOI, "A committee has been set up under the superintendent of the women and child development (WCD) department to inquire into the possible lapses on the part of the children's home management in protecting the minor inmates."

The incident came to light when four minor boys from the children's home in Haveli taluka were transferred to another childcare and protection facility in Ghodegaon. Two of these boys opened up to Vilas Pandare, the managing secretary of the child protection facility, by narrating how they were sexually abused and threatened by the peon at the previous home over the past few months.

Pandare then lodged the zero FIR with the Ghodegaon police on June 18. The same was transferred to the Lonikand police because the children's home falls under their jurisdiction.

Kumbhar said, "During our investigations, the two minor boys recorded their detailed statements narrating how the peon sexually abused and harassed them and how he threatened them into submission. The children's home, where the alleged crime occurred, has some 40 inmates. We are recording statements of each of them in phases to find out if the peon committed similar acts on other minors. As of now, there are two affected minors in the case. Our probe is on."

Women and child development officer Birasis said, "This is a serious case. The panel set up under the superintendent (WCD department), Pritam Warbhuvan, will check for any lapses on the part of the child welfare home and also speak with other children to check if there are more victims. Based on the report of the committee, we will take further action."

Pandare's complaint stated that the two children were at times gagged, their hands were tied up before the sexual assault and they were threatened with dire consequences if they dared to complain to anyone.

Pandare told TOI, "Four minor boys were transferred to our childcare and protection facility about a week or so ago. Of them, one was transferred to Baramati to unite him with his brother, while the other three were here. Of the three, two were conspicuously quiet and looked depressed. On Wednesday, the clerk in our home said the two boys wanted to speak with me, and that is when they opened up about the unspeakable horror they faced in their previous home."