NCPCR asks Jharkhand authorities to initiate action on child sexual abuse, trafficking at Nirmal Hriday Centre in Ranchi

In a letter addressed to Director General of Jharkhand Police Anurag Gupta and Chief Secretary of Jharkhand Lalbiaktluanga Khiangte on Friday, the NCPCR chairperson Priyank Kanoongo has asked the state government and police to file an action taken report within five days of the receipt of the letter.

The NCPCR highlighted the lack of action following reports of sexual abuse in the institution, despite the statements of some survivors.

The NCPCR has also asked the police to file cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act against Nirmal Hriday Centre run by Missionaries of Charity in Ranchi for allegedly being involved in the trafficking of children.

During a visit to Dumka in August 2019, the NCPCR had seized documents from the institution, which had information regarding pregnancy and sexual abuse of victims.

"It is also pertinent to mention that some of the victims were minors. Looking into the complexity of the case, there is also apprehension that in the documents seized, there may also be information of minor children belong to other districts or states," the letter said.

The letter detailed that Child Welfare Committee provided the Commission the statements of the two victims of alleged sexual abuse, which were recorded by them on the request of District Commissioner Ranchi.

"I came in contact with the Missionaries of Charity during my pregnancy. I am still not married. In 2016, I had physical relations with a classmate whom I do not know well and cannot even tell his name under pressure. I did not want to have physical relations but I was alone so I agreed under pressure," read a statement by a minor.

"I did not tell anyone about the incident. I came to know about the pregnancy 2-3 months after the incident, then I informed my mother about the incident. Keeping in mind my young age and the problems with abortion, she did not do anything neither did she talk about abortion," the statement read.

The official statement further read that the child was taken to the Nirmal Hriday centre by her father, where she stayed for a month and handed over the baby to the head sister of the centre after delivery, the letter stated.

"My father took me to Missionaries of Charity, for my delivery in February 2017. I gave birth to a girl child in March 2017. About a month after my delivery, my father came to Nirmal Hriday, I willingly handed over the baby to the head sister at the centre there and returned to my village," the statement added.

The letter by NCPCR also stated that the response by the police has not been satisfactory, "Looking into the gravity of the situation and various abnormalities, discrepancies and unsatisfactory response from the state, the commission was constrained to exercise its powers provided under Sector 15 of the CPCR Act, 2005."

Additionally, in all the cases where minors have been identified whose documents have been seized, the commission has asked for the police to furnish a report about the whereabouts of the minors. (ANI)