Chennai: Four men who were taking care of children’s home for abandoned boys and girls were arrested on Friday morning in Thirumullaivoyal for sexually harassing the children.
The accused were identified as Jacob and Vimala Jacob, owners of the home Muthu (28), Baskar (40) and another warden Samuel (54), who is absconding.
According to the police, the married couple Jacob and Vimala Jacob was running the private home for orphaned children in Thirumullaivoyal. On Thursday, the government school in Thirumullaivoyal organised an awareness program about sexual harassments and child welfare. Judges from Madras High court, Child Welfare Committee members were invited to address the students.
After the awareness program, the officers were casually chatting when two boys and girls approached the members of the child welfare committee and started crying. They were taken into a private room and questioned, said a child protection officer. The children opened up about the owners and workers of the home allegedly harassing them sexually and also threatening them.
Based on the children’s inputs, the police officers raided the orphan home in Thirumullaivoyal and confirmed the sexual harassment of children irrespective of gender. They also found the private home is an unregistered one and the license of the home has expired in 2015.
Taking the complaint of Senthil, the Child Protection Officer, four people were arrested and also a manhunt was launched by the Thirumullaivoyal police to nab Warden Samuel, who absconded. A total of 44 children were rescued and sent to various government children home, said a police officer.
