Jaipur:
Two differently-abled girls were allegedly raped and beaten at an NGO-run school near Jaipur where they had gone for speech therapy and studies. Four staff members of the NGO have been arrested by the police.
The teenagers, who are speech and hearing impaired, were sent to the residential school run by Awaaz Foundation in January by their orphange for a speech counselling course. Three other girls had also gone with them.
When they returned on April 30, the orphanage warden reportedly noticed injury marks on their bodies. Suspecting physical abuse, she immediately informed the Child Welfare Committee.
During counselling and interaction sessions with the girls spread over 15 days, a Child Welfare Committee official reportedly concluded that two of the girls were repeatedly raped while others were beaten up at the NGO.
Based on the complaint filed by the Child Welfare Committee, the police arrested four employees of the NGO - its warden, supervisor, accounts clerk and the clerk's wife - in an early morning raid today.
The police say Awaaz Foundation's supervisor, who has been arrested, allegedly chose to ignore the girls' complaint when they tried to convey to her the trauma they underwent.
"All the victims were speech and hearing impaired. Five girls have complained that they were abused at Awaaz Foundation," Biju George Joseph, the Police Commissioner of Jaipur,has said.
Over 100 students were staying at the NGO-run residential school, which has been functioning for the last six years.
There were protests outside the orphanage today where People's Union for Civil Liberties activists demanded strict action against the culprits involved in the case.