A 14-year-old girl got pregnant after being allegedly raped by the vice-president of Balgram Panchadip Sankul Orphanage.
A 14-year-old girl got pregnant after being allegedly raped by the vice-president of Balgram Panchadip Sankul Orphanage. Khandeshwar police on Thursday arrested the vice-president and a woman caretaker who helped him in the act.
According to the police, accused Uttam Ghuge (59), a resident of Navi Mumbai, has been vice-president of the orphanage for the past three years. There are around 40 girls living in this orphanage. Balgram Maharashtra serves as a rallying point for voluntary organisations in the state in the field of child welfare. Balgram’s efforts have especially been directed towards establishing Family Homes (Balsadans) and Children’s Villages (Bal grams) in rural and tribal areas of the state.
In June 2015, the victim was sent to the orphanage by relatives after her mother died. Police officials said, “The girl said that in August when all girls were brought to watch a movie in one of the classrooms, Mr Ghuge called her personally after the movie got over and when there was no one in the room, allegedly forcefully kissed her, threatening her not to tell anybody.”
The victim had already lost her parents and did not tell anyone.
At the end of December, Ghuge conducted a so-called puja at his place where the hostel caretaker brought the victim and her friend. The caretaker took the victim’s friend back to the hostel while allegedly threatening the girl to stay at Ghuge’s place.
Police said, “Mr Ghuge allegedly raped the girl forcefully and sent her to the hostel alone at night at around 2 am. The girl was still quiet but when her stomach started paining, she narrated the incident to her friend. The friend informed their Maths teacher about it. On Wednesday, the teacher brought the victim to Khandeshwar police station and we registered a complaint under IPC sections and POCSO against Mr Ghuge and caretaker Nadira Sheikh. We arrested him early morning Thursday. He has been sent to police custody till January 25,” said senior PI, Khandeshwar police station, Amar Desai.
