The superintendent of a government shelter home for children (Bal Grih) in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, has been accused of physically assaulting a girl with a slipper. The video of the incident surfaced on Tuesday, revealing the severity of the superintendent's actions.
A shocking incident unfolded on September 4, 2023, at 4:00 PM within the premises of a children's shelter home, with the entire episode captured by CCTV cameras. The 1 minute and 23-second video footage reveal Superintendent Poonam Pal engaged in a disturbing act of physically assaulting a girl with a slipper while she lay on a bed. The video goes on to depict further physical aggression towards the victim. Additionally, the footage shows six other children in the room, lying on separate beds, as witnesses to the incident.
In another distressing video, a mentally challenged child is seen lying on the floor with hands and feet bound with ropes. Appalled by this incident, a complaint was filed on Tuesday by individuals named Kavita Kardam, Baby, Deepali, and kitchen staff Sunita. Recognizing the gravity of the matter, District Magistrate Bhanu Chandra Goswami instructed City Magistrate Anand Kumar and the District Probation Officer (DPO) to conduct an investigation. They promptly arrived at the children's shelter to probe the matter further.
Probation officer says matter will be investigated
"We conducted an investigation at the children's shelter and verified the CCTV footage. It was discovered that the girl who was physically assaulted with a slipper had hidden inside a box under the bed during a playful moment. Subsequently, the superintendent physically assaulted her. Such physical violence towards children is unacceptable. Further investigations will be carried out into the other allegations as well," said Ajay Pal Singh, District Probation Officer.
Several complaints of inappropriate behaviour
The shelter's cook has leveled accusations against Superintendent Poonam Pal, stating that she engages in inappropriate activities with the children at the shelter. These alleged activities include making kids applying oil and massaging her hair, pressing her feet, and even doing her dishes. It has also been alleged that Superintendent Poonam Pal emptied a room intended for the children and converted it into her personal living quarters, complete with an air conditioner and a refrigerator. Furthermore, it has come to light that the superintendent's relatives frequently stay at the children's shelter
