Naidunia Correspondent, Bhopal | Two male juveniles were assaulted and sexually abused at a juvenile rehabilitation center in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. The victims, brought there after being accused in various criminal cases, were assaulted and gang-raped by juvenile delinquents of the same age. The matter came to light when the victims' relatives visited them at the juvenile rehabilitation center in the capital city, Bhopal.
FIR Against 11 Juvenile Accused
Following an investigation, the Shyamala Hills police have registered a case against 11 accused under various sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Medical examinations have confirmed sexual assault on the victims. Six juveniles have been charged in one case and five in the other. A total of 11 juveniles have been implicated in both cases.
What Bhopal Police Said
Assistant Police Commissioner Santosh Patel said the accused are being shifted to another facility and a probe has been launched in the matter. The investigation began on July 7 after receiving a complaint from the juvenile rehabilitation center management, he said, adding that the statements from both juveniles have been recorded, and separate cases have been filed.
Police are also investigating when the incidents began, how frequently they occurred, and how the harassment persisted within the institution managed by professionals in juvenile rehabilitation.
Both victims recently informed their families about the inhumanity and sexual assault they were subjected to during a meeting. Subsequently, the families approached the administration in their respective districts and filed complaints. Upon receiving the complaint in Bhopal, the juvenile rehabilitation center initiated an investigation, and an FIR was subsequently registered.
Juvenile Rehabilitation Center's Management Exposed
The entire system of the juvenile rehabilitation center is now under scrutiny. Adequate space, playgrounds, open air, and other basic amenities are lacking. The issue of mismanagement was raised with the district administration and the court about a year ago, but the situation has not improved as expected.
This is not the first time the operations of the juvenile rehabilitation centre have come under scrutiny. Four juvenile offenders have escaped from there. The emergence of incidents of sexual violence and assault within the institution has once again raised serious questions about the oversight mechanisms of the Women and Child Development Department, the police, the legal department, and the child protection system.