Haryana News: Haryana ignored NCPCR warnings on shelter homes

Even as sordid tales of sexual abuse of inmates of shelter homes in Haryana continue to tumble out of the closet, documents accessed by TOI from the National Commission of Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) have now revealed that Haryana government ignored at least 12 notices over one year, each asking it to put its house in order in running these shelter homes.

Following a raid by NCPCR on a shelter in Rohtak in May, which revealed rampant sexual harassment of inmates, the commission had summoned the state DGP, financial commissioner and two IGPs to Delhi for questioning.

A seven-member commission bench held back-to-back hearings on May 14 and May 15, drawing up a scathing assessment of the state police, health authorities and other senior officers.

“It had become necessary for the commission to take this step. Wasn’t the raid at Apna Ghar, run by NGO Bharat Vikas Sangh, embarrassing enough for the state police to give us an appropriate reply after these communiques?” Vinod Tikoo, member, NCPCR, told TOI.

A dozen notices had been sent by NCPCR on lack of commitments by the Haryana government to monitor any misdeeds including sexual and physical abuse, flesh trade and abandoning of children.

Tikoo had earlier led the team on May 9 during the raid at Apna Ghar taken care of by Jaswanti Devi, who was later arrested. The raid had revealed torrid tales of sexual abuse of home inmates.

In one of its documents, the commission said, “It had been forced to exercise its constitutional powers by summoning officers including Haryana DGP R S Dalal, financial commissioner of Women and Child Development department Dheeral Khandelwal, Rohtak deputy commissioner Vikas Gupta and Rohtak IG Alok Mittal (among others).”

via Haryana ignored NCPCR warnings on shelter homes – The Times of India.