Three Caretakers Arrested for Assaulting a Minor Girl in a Shelter Home

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Police on Tuesday arrested three caretakers from a children's home here operated by the Kerala State Council for Child Welfare for injuring the genitals of a two-and-a-half-year-old girl.

The caretakers allegedly harmed the child due to bedwetting. They were apprehended following a complaint by the Council's General Secretary Arun Gopi. A case under the POCSO Act has also been filed against the three accused Ajitha, Maheshwari and Sindhu.

According to police, the victim and her younger sister have been residing in the care home since their parents died. The Council took custody of the children and placed them in the shelter home.

The three caretakers, who have been employed at the home for several years, are now under investigation to determine if there have been previous complaints against them. Currently, the council employs 103 contract ayahs.

The injuries were discovered when a staff member observed marks on the child's body and promptly reported it to the authorities, leading to a formal complaint being filed with the Museum police station.