Child Rights body had flagged irregularities in Bihar shelter home in November

The commission noted that the rooms in the shelter were cramped which made the girls feel uncomfortable. It added that the minors complained about insufficient arrangement for their education and skill development.

Patna, August 3: A team of the Child Rights Protection Commission in Bihar had raised suspicions about the functioning of the Muzaffarpur shelter home three months before a Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) audit report revealed systematic sexual abuse of minor inmates.

The report that the commission submitted to higher authorities is now with several media houses and making the headlines everywhere. .

A three-member team comprising commission chairman Harpal Kaur, members Pankaj Sinha and Vijay Kumar Roushan inspected the ‘Balika Grih’ run by Brajesh Thakur’s NGO Seva Sankalp Evam Vikas Samiti on November 22 last year.

In its observation report, the commission stated, “As soon as we entered the premises of the ‘Balika Grih’, girls started crying after seeing us. They complained about insufficient arrangement for their education and skill development. They looked perplexed. We directed the superintendent to provide adequate facilities.”

The commission also sought adequate space for the girls, noting that the “rooms are cramped and girls were feeling uncomfortable. Therefore, we have directed its functionaries to relocate it somewhere else…”

Police believe that Thakur was the mastermind behind the sexual abuse of minors. A medical report has confirmed that 34 inmates staying at the shelter home were raped.

Meanwhile, the Bihar government removed Thakur from all government health and welfare committees of which he was a member.

Breaking his silence over the incident, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Friday said the incident had shamed his government and assured that the guilty would be severely punished.

“Muzaffarpur main aisi ghatana ghat gayi ki hum sharamsaar ho gaye. CBI jaanch kar rahi hai, high court iski monitoring kare (We are ashamed that such an incident has taken place in Muzaffarpur. The CBI is investigating the case. The High Court, too, should monitor it).