Delhi: A state-run shelter house of girls in west Delhi has been accused of forcibly injecting drugs and molesting the girls by its staff. The complainants are ten girls living in the shelter.
A girl in her statement told the police that she was starved for days when she complained about the staff for torturing her. Moreover, at least two girls said that they were molested by the officials, reported HT.
The shelter homes are run by the government for the safety of homeless girls who are either rape survivors or who were rescued from trafficking or brothels.
The girls told that they were given some unknown drugs which stimulated their growth.
“The girls were allegedly given an Oxytocin-type substance that stimulates changes in their body. Police conducted a medical examination of syringe marks and registered a case. The officials are being questioned,” a source said.
The drug is banned and used by traffickers in order to give the girls an adult appearance. Then these girls are sold to the brothels.
A girl wrote to the Delhi Legal Service authority in the first week of April, due to which the truth about the shelter was highlighted. After this incident, nine other girls wrote to the service authority. With all these information Delhi Commission for Women got alerted.
Women’s commission chief Swati Maliwal visited the girls on April 8 and the girls informed her team about molestation and harassment. The officials did not let Swati meet the girls second time when she went to visit the shelter, officials locked the door and did not let her go inside.
Police registered an FIR on April 16, charging the officials who ran the shelter with criminal intimidation, causing harm by poisoning, criminal conspiracy and laws under the juvenile justice care and protection act.
The DCW spokesperson informed that the girls in the shelter don’t get proper food and clothes.