Indore (Madhya Pradesh): A random inspection by the women and child development (WCD) department resulted in bringing a chilling revelation to the fore resulting in sealing a private institute at Dwarkapuri shifting 52 children in the child care institute (CCI).
The institute was providing childcare facilities without any registered licence or permission from government authorities. 26 girls and 26 boys were shifted from the institute. The officials were left in awe as the unauthorised institute was not only catering children from the city but had around 30 children from other districts in the division majorly from places like Dhar, Alirajpur, and Jhabua.
WCD along with Child Welfare Committee, Labour Department and the police force reached he place after receiving a complaint from an anonymous woman stating that a child at the centre was being physically assaulted by caretakers.
Ramniwas Budholiya, joint director, WCD said, 'The department has sealed the institute which was functioning without any government certificate or licence and has rescued 52 children. We received information through an anonymous complainant. A rescue team was formed including members of WCD, CWC, labour department and police who went to Dwarkapuri and sealed the institute and seized documents of children as well.'
Pallavi Porwal, chairperson of Child Welfare Committee said, 'The 52 rescued children have been shifted to the child care institute where they are being counselled. The committee has seized documents of the children where we would try to communicate with the parents while a proper investigation would be carried out.'
No complaints, no demands
Porwal informed Free Press that many of the parents had no complaints from the institute as they did not demand any kind of fee to enroll a child. However, the children were forced to perform household work such as cooking and cleaning. 'During our primary investigation it was found that a 6-year-old was physically abused by one of the two caretakers and 6 girls were not enrolled in any educational institute,' Porwal said.
FIR against caretaker
Porwal said that CWC would initiate to lodge an FIR against the caretaker who physically abused the child. She said, 'The concerned person would be charged under harassment act for beating and abusing the child. We are still counseling the children and will take legal action against the caretakers.'
