Case lodged by the Child Welfare Committee after passersby rescue a tormented 12 year old girl

A 36-year-old man has been accused of molesting minor girl students at a hostel for rural children.

Stephen has been running Angels Home, a free hostel for poor students. It is funded by donations from private firms. The state government's permission to run the home is mandatory, but he has not bothered to get it.

Passersby found a 12-year-old crying profusely near the hostel. When they asked, she complained she had been molested. They contacted her parents and rushed her to M S Ramaiah Hospital where doctors confirmed sexual assault. The Child Welfare Committee,an NGO, sent a team headed by member P N Basavraj, who rescued six girls and eight boys from the home.

Bad behavior

The girl told the committee, "Stephen sir used to behave badly and asked me to do bad things."

On being pushed for more details, she only said, "Avru nanna kedisdru," (he ruined me).

The other rescued children also narrated similar stories of harassment. For the time being, the rescued children have been sent to government-recognised homes and will be united with their parents once their statements are recorded.

Basavraj believes the home is running a racket to make money in the name of rural children. Stephen has been summoned to appear before the CWC and criminal proceedings will be initiated against him, he said.