A 21-year-old Maulana has been arrested on the charges of sexually assaulting two minor boys at Katraj based orphanage. Following his arrest, police have shifted 35 boys from the orphanage to other places.
Maulana Rahim was a caretaker at the orphanage. He was nabbed Kondhwa police on the basis on the complaint given by the social activist Yamini Adbe. Later Rahim was handed over to Bharti Vidyapeeth police since the orphanage is situated in its jurisdiction. Police have registered a case under relevant sections of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO).
The alleged incident came to light after two boys managed to flee away from the orphanage and while they were at the Pune railway station, they met members of NGO Saathi. A police officer from Kondhwa police station said, "The NGO works for children who run away from their houses. While the volunteers of the NGO were taking round of the station, they came across these two boys."
"When the volunteers asked them about their home, they told them that they were staying at the orphanage. On asking why they left the orphanage, they narrated the whole incident of how Rahim was sexually assaulting them," the officer said. The volunteers took the boys to Adbe who informed the police about the boys' ordeal. Taking cognizance of the complaint, Kondhwa police immediately raided the orphanage and nabbed him.
Police are now investigating if the maulana has sexually assaulted the other children also. When asked senior police inspector Vishnu Pawar, in charge of Bharti Vidyapeeth, he said, "So far only two boys have complained about the sexual assault. We are now inquiring with the other boys of the orphanage to find out if he has assaulted other boys also." Police are also finding out the details of the Maulana and his background. He has been remanded police custody till July 31.
