Kerela police have detained three caretakers of a child welfare home in Thiruvananthapuram on charges of assaulting a two-and-a-half-year-old girl. The accused—Ajitha, Maheshwari, and Sindhu—are facing legal action under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The arrests were made after the Kerala State Council for Child Welfare filed a complaint accusing the trio of injuring the child as punishment for bedwetting causing injuries to her genitals. According to the investigation, Ajitha allegedly inflicted the injury, while Maheshwari and Sindhu attempted to conceal the incident.
The young girl and her five-year-old sibling had been placed in the welfare home following the death of their mother and their father’s suicide. Reports indicate the child was frequently punished for bedwetting, with the alleged abuse uncovered when another caretaker temporarily took charge and alerted the authorities.
The child has received medical attention and is currently stable, according to officials. G. L. Arun Gopi, General Secretary of the Child Welfare Committee, assured the public that the injuries were not severe, calling for calm while emphasizing the need for a thorough investigation.
Authorities are continuing their probe to ensure the safety of all children at the facility and to address any potential lapses in oversight.
