Three women were arrested by the Museum Police in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday, December 3, for physically abusing a two-and-a-half-year-old girl in their care. The women, identified as Maheshwari, Ajitha, and Sindhu, were contract staff at the Kerala State Council for Child Welfare and were dismissed from their positions after the incident came to light.
The abuse occurred in late November when the child, who had been placed in the protection centre after the death of her parents, was allegedly punished for bedwetting. According to the police, the child’s private parts were harmed during the punishment, resulting in painful injuries. The abuse was discovered when another caretaker noticed the child crying during a bath in the last week of November. The caretaker observed rashes and wounds on the toddler’s private areas and immediately alerted the general secretary of the centre, Anoop Gopi.
Following the discovery, the child was taken to the nearby Children’s Hospital in Thycaud, where a doctor confirmed the presence of the injuries. Arun Gopi then filed a complaint at the Museum police station. The police initiated an investigation and arrested the three women two days later.
"What we noticed were small rashes caused by nails. We will not tolerate any harm, no matter how minor, when it comes to the welfare of children. Our policy is to act immediately in such cases, and we have taken legal action swiftly. The child is now healthy and safe," Arun Gopi told the media.
The toddler, along with her one-year-old sister, had been placed in the child protection centre after the death of their parents. Authorities have informed that the children are now receiving the necessary care and support.
The accused women, who were contract workers of the Kerala Child Protection Welfare Society, face charges under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.