The police has arrested five persons, associated with NGO Awaj Foundation, for alleged rape and sexual exploitation of three speech-and-hearing impaired girls. Those who are arrested include NGO in-charge Alpna Dashnanai. The police sought help of experts to communicate with the victims.
The government has blacklisted the NGO and the victims have been shifted to a state-run children’s home in Jaipur.
A group of women activists led by People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) protested in Jaipur on Saturday and lashed out at the government. The victims, all between 12 to 17 years, were raped and abused when they were sent to Azad Foundation’s centre for speech therapy.
The incident came into light when the victims narrated their ordeal during the counselling. A member of the Children Welfare Committee, R.K. Bairwa, reported the matter to the police and the police lodged the FIR against the foundation. The police raided the foundation office located in the outskirts of the city and immediately four NGO workers were taken into custody. “We have arrested Ms Dashnani, the in-charge of the NGO, warden Ashok Prajapat, clerk Suresh Bairwa and his wife Geeta for rape, sexual abuse,” said a police officer. The police also arrested security guard Mahesh Mali on Saturday, who had disappeared when the police raided the NGO office.