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Sexual abuse in Sivasagar children�s home

By STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, Dec 19 - Chilling details of sexual and physical abuse inflicted upon girl inmates of a children home at Sivasagar has come to the fore. Worse, one of the survivors even attempted to end her life after finding all doors closed in her pursuit for justice!

The girl along with two other inmates was allegedly subjected to sexual and physical abuse by the superintendent of the children home.

The matter first came to light when the Child Welfare Committee, Sivasagar received information regarding the escape of three girls from Swapnalaya Children Home on September 3 from the District Child Protection Officer, Sivasagar.

Later, the girls were rescued and upon being asked about the reason behind their move, horrifying details of sexual and physical abuse inflicted on them allegedly by the superintendent of the home, Parag Goswami, came to light.

The victims also alleged that the housemother, Gita Kakati, too used to torture them, and unable to bear the agony, they decided to run away. The statements of the three girls were recorded by a member of the CWC.

This is not the first case of sexual and physical abuse of children home inmates, something that has raised question marks on the functioning of child care institutions (CCIs) across the country.

The case has now attracted criticism from various quarters with child rights organisation UTSAH seeking the Chief Minister�s intervention into the matter.

In a letter to the Chief Minister, Miguel Das Queah of UTSAH has demanded action against the Superintendent of Police, Sivasagar and the closure of Swapnalaya Children�s Home, Sivasagar with immediate effect.

�I received a letter from one of the victims where she stated about her ordeal and the agony of seeing the perpetrators of crime roaming freely,� Queah said, adding that the accused should be brought to book forthwith as they may try to influence the investigation.

Queah also demanded that the victims of sexual and physical abuse be transferred to a safer child care institution and steps taken to rehabilitate them. He also demanded social audit of the CCIs.

Questions are also being raised on the efficacy of the police department which is apparently washing its hand off the case. An FIR was lodged on September 3 by the Oikya Sena Asom against Parag Goswami and the housemother of Swapnalaya and accordingly, a case was registered under IPC and POCSO Act.

Goswami, however, could not be contacted despite several attempts made by this reporter.

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