Sexual Abuse: Dhenkanal Shelter Home Sealed

Dhenkanal: In the wake of the alleged sexual harassment of minor girls, the Dhenkanal Sadar police on Sunday sealed the shelter home of Good News India Dream Centre in the district.

Police sealed the shelter home in presence of the local magistrate and the District Child Protection Officer (DCPO).

However, it was not immediately known as to where the district administration had shifted  the 94 minor girls and boys of the shelter home along with the staff.

After the arrest of the shelter home in-charge Simanchal Nayak on Saturday, police detained owner and managing director Fayaz Rahman for interrogation.

Also Read: Dhenkanal Shelter Home In-Charge Arrested

Meanwhile, a 7-member fact-finding team of the BJP State Mahila Morcha, led by the president Pravati Parida, arrived in Dhenkanal on Sunday morning for an on-the-spot study of the incident. The team interacted with the locals to get the details of the modus operandi of the shelter home.

The team later left for the district headquarters where it will have a meeting with the district collector and SP.

Talking to mediapersons, Parida alleged that the shelter home was being run illegally in full knowledge of the district administration, police and the Women and Child Development minister Prafulla Samal.

“How could this NGO set up 26 shelter homes in Odisha without the knowledge of the district administration? They kept the minor girls and boys together in each shelter home and engaged them in the heinous act. This is perhaps first such incident in the history of Odisha,” Parida said.

The BJP Mahila Morcha will visit the remaining 25 shelter homes soon, she added.