Horrifying cases of rampant sexual abuse and torture of minors tumble out from the shelter home run by Mother Teresa Welfare Trust as investigation into the sexual abuse of two minors at the said shelter home are being investigated by the Jharkhand police.

The Hindus Times report states that the police have discovered more victims of sexual abuse and torture suffered over a period of four years at the shelter home other than the two 16 and 17 year old girl victims who spoke up against their ordeal. This has considerably widened the scope of investigations.

The matter came to light when the two minor girls fled the institution due to constant sexual abuse and took shelter in a house in Birsanagar. As the girls were missing from the home the police traced the girls and on enquiry about the reason for abandoning the shelter home, the girls revealed about the continuous torture and sexual assault by the caretakers of the shelter.

The Jamshedpur SSP, Dr M Tamil Vanan stated that the two minor girls gave video recorded statements reiterating all the charges made in their statements to the Special POCSO court. The girls were physically and mentally tortured and were forced to submit themselves to the sexual demands from the perpetrators.

The accused Harpal Singh Thapar, director of the Mother Teresa shelter home, his wife Pushpa Rani Tirkey (who is also shockingly the chairperson of East Singhbum district child welfare committee), warden Geeta Singh, her son Aditya Singh and a staff member, Tony Singh are absconding.

As per a media report Thapar and other men assaulted the minors while his wife Tirkey used to beat them up. A FIR invoking the relevant sections of POCSO has been filed on Tuesday on the basis of the statement of the two minor girls.

SSP Tamil Vanan stated that Thapar allegedly had physical relations with the 19 year old daughter of the warden, and he along with the others used to sexually abuse and exploit the victims on a regular basis.

The SSP also informed that despite repeated complaints for the past four years to Tirkey, the CWC chief, no action was taken by her against the perpetrators. Notably, the CWC chief’s husband himself was the main perpetrator and the director of the shelter home.

The police is also investigating the death of a three-year old girl in the same shelter home 25 days ago due to brain tumour.

SSP Vanan stated, the little girl was a daughter of a rape survivor who did not want to keep her. Thapar and his wife did not inform the police about the death which they are legally bound to”.

Investigations are also being made on the alleged transfer of government funds and private donations to the institution by Thapar and Tirkey into their personal accounts. SSP Vanan revealed that the minor girls complained that the duo took away the money donated to them by many people for clothing, food and other items.

The SSP assured that a fair and transparent investigation would be done and all the accused would be nabbed soon as the police team is raiding their various possible hideouts.

The Mother Teresa Welfare Trust, a Jharkhand govt approved NGO, is located at Shamsher Tower in Kharangajhar. The shelter home reportedly has three floors with 23 girls living in two rooms on the second floor. The warden lives in another room in the same floor as the girls with her daughter and son. Thapar and Tirkey lived in the same building in the first floor and 22 boys live on the ground floor.

The girls have now been shifted to another place temporarily at Saraikela-Kharsawan CWC.

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