Admn launches probe into sex abuse claim in college
BHUBANESWAR: A Kalahandi district administration team on Wednesday visited Anchalika Mahavidyalaya Mahaling to check whether guidelines of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) were violated at the institute.
The college is co-founded by Gobinda Sahu, who has been arrested on murder charges of Mamita Meher, principal of Sunshine Public School, also founded by Sahu. The two institutions are situated on the same campus.
Pawar Sachin Prakash, sub-collector (Dharmagarh), who led the inquiry team, said, “The visit was part of an administrative inquiry to find out whether the NCPCR guidelines were followed at the institution. The probe is on.”
Sources said the team visited two ladies’ hostels, checked various documents and interacted with the hostel authorities. They also spoke to guardians of some of the students.
After the teacher’s murder, a section of media had reported alleged sexual exploitation of some girl students at the institute.
Taking suo motu cognizance of the media reports, the NCPCR and the Odisha State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (OSCPCR) sought an action taken report (ATR) from the government.
The NCPCR had written to chief minister Naveen Patnaik Patnaik and the director general of police, Abhay, seeking a fair investigation into the murder case in a time-bound manner.
Observing that it is having the impression that the two institutions did not adhere to guidelines for child safety, the OSPCR had asked the Kalahandi collector and SP to submit an ATR.
The October 8 murder of Meher has sparked a political controversy with the opposition parties demanding resignation of minister of state for home Dibya Shankar Mishra for his alleged links with Sahu ever since he was arrested on October 20. Protests have taken place across the state over the issue.
Congress leader and former Union minister Bhakta Charan Das on Wednesday targeted the chief minister’s office, saying some senior officers were protecting Mishra.
Senior BJD leader Debi Prasad Mishra reiterated the party’s oft repeated stand that law would take its own course.
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