Maharashtra: Six Tribal Girls Sexually Assaulted In Their Residential School; Court Orders State Govt To Pay Compensation

The state of Maharashtra has not yet recovered from the news of heinous sexual assault on six tribal minor girls in Chandrapur district. The sexual assault on these six girls took place in a residential school in Rajpura. The girls aging between 8 and 13 years reported about the unconsciousness and stomach ache they were undergoing. Later in a medical test, it was confirmed that the children were sexually abused. The girls all stayed in the residential school – Jesus Education Society which falls under the state government’s Namankit School Yojna for education of tribal students in English Medium.

As of now the mother of the survivors have filed a writ petition to seek justice in the Bombay High Court under the guidance of Paromita Goswami. Paromita Goswami is an activists who spearheads the tribal rights organisation, Shramik Elgar. The NewsClick quoted Paromita stating that the cops had failed to perform their duty as they had not arrested Subhash Dhote, the owner of the hostel and ex-MLA of Congress. She further stated that the medical report confirming the sexual abuse of these girls came on April 6 and an FIR was lodged on April 12.

The court’s Nagpur bench responding to the petition on April 17 directed to constitute a committee to probe the case and also ordered the state government to provide compensation of ₹50,000 in the bank of the girls’ mother’s account. The committee comprises of AA Ansari, additional district and sessions judge of Chandrapur, Seema Gajbhiye, Tehsildar of Gondpipari tehsil, Prabhabati Ekre, police inspector of the women’s cell, and Dr Dipti Srirame, senior gynecologist.

However, the parents of the survivors seek for the arrest of Subhash Dhote. Noting the importance of the case and how the cops failed to lodge an FIR immediately after the incident, the case has been handed over to the Crime Investigation Department (CID).

Events as they unfolded

According to the police officials of Raghura, on April 6, two girls were taken to government hospital in Chandrapur, after they reported bouts of unconsciousness. The doctors in the hospital found that the girls have been victims of of sexual abuse. One of the police officials said that on April 12, an FIR was lodged invoking the Prevention of Children Sexual Offences (POSCO) Act and the IPC section 376 for rape. Later on four other girls appeared with the same complaint and later in the medical report confirmed that they too were sexually abused. The official further said that Chhaban Pachare, hostel superintendent, Narendra Virtukar, deputy superintendent, Kalpana Thakre and Lata, hostel supervisors, Venkat Swami, the security guard were arrested.

Criticism against Congress leaders

Subhash Dhote, who is the chief of Congress from the Chandrapur unit, Vijay Wadettiwar, Congress MLA, and Suresh Dhanorkar, candidate fielded by Congress for LS elections were served a notice from the ‘Maharashtra State Commission for Women’ for stating “parents have now started filing complaints to receive government benefits”. Dhote has even stated that the parents are filing complaints to get monetary help. Though Wadettiwar and Dhote have issued an unconditional apology to the victims, they have been severely slammed by the social activists, reported FirstsPost. More than 8,000 people from 30 different organisations took to the streets to protest against these macabre acts and sought for justice. They protested from Panchayat Samiti of Rajpura up to the teshsildar office of Rajpura.

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