11 women missing for 52 days from Bihar shelter, official knew, did nothing

Patna: It took police nearly two months to file a complaint of 11 women missing from shelter home run by Brajesh Thakur, main accused in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur shelter rape case.

According to report, the disappearance of the women surfaced on March 20 but was confirmed on June 9.

According to NDTV, the local child protection officer refused to file a complaint with the police unless he was directed to do so by his bosses in social welfare department despite the uproar over child rapes at Balika Grih.

“The delay wasn’t on my part but at secretariat level in Patna. The order came on July 20,” said Devesh Kumar Sharma, Assistant Director of the district child protection unit.

The police case was filed on July 30 after being pressured by a senior police officer.

Read: 11 women missing from another home run by Bihar rape accused

“Swadhar Kendra” was a place for women older than 18 who did not have a family and lived there for shelter. The Kendra, located 2 kms from Balika Griha, was meant to be given professional training.

During a regular inspection routine by district social welfare committee, on March 20, a dozen out of the 27 women, who had their names written in the register, were missing. In spite of finding out that women were missing, no one raised an alarm, and nobody even reported to the police.

After the Balika Grih scandal, another inspection was conducted on June 9 by the police and committee. When they found the shelter home locked, a police team on Wednesday broke the lock and found condoms, sedatives, and empty liquor bottles.

Sources said the local child protection officer refused to take action in the case because of the power and influence wielded by Brajesh Thakur.

Thakur was not only the owner of Balika Grih but ran a local daily called “Pratah Kamal”. He was also a member of state-level media committee which includes Press Information Bureau and Bihar Assembly press committee.

55-yr-old Brajesh Thakur was grinning when he was being led away by the police.

The minor girls living at the shelter home revealed shocking details like rape, torture, drugging, and beating. More than 30 out of 42 girls have been subjected to sexual abuse.

Also Read: Sedated, woke up naked with pain in private parts: Bihar shelter home rape survivors