MUMBAI: A four-and-half-year-old girl from Chembur was sexually assaulted on the premises of a state-run anganwadi, where she is enrolled. The incident though came to light only when the girl's mother brought her to Parel's KEM Hospital "fearing she may become pregnant".
Chembur is a suberb in eastern Mumbai.
The incident took place on January 20 when the survivor went to the anganwadi, near her house in Vishnu Nagar to play, unaware that it was shut. Anganwadi workers are on strike for higher pay. The word Anganwadi means "courtyard shelter" in Hindi. They were started by the Indian government in 1975 as part of the Integrated Child Development Services program to combat child hunger and malnutrition in pre-school children. A typical Anganwadi centre also provides basic health care in Indian villages. It is a part of the Indian public health-care system.
She returned home in less than 30 minutes "crying and petrified". Her mother said, "She rushed home like somebody was chasing her. She told me the boy touched her inappropriately. He also offered her a Re 1 coin and switched on the TV to distract her".
The child had been going to the anganwadi, which operates out of a rented place, since the past one-and-half-years. She also knew the accused, Krishna Pawar (20), an auto driver and son of the anganwadi premises owner. The survivor or her mother didn't know the anganwadi was shut as the sevikas have been on a strike for a while.
The mother—unsure about how to deal with the incident—took her to a local doctor but did not reveal the details as to why the child had abdominal pain. She also hid it from her husband and two sons in their 20s, fearing that her family's reputation and the child's future will be affected. It was only when the pain persisted that the mother revealed the details to the doctor, who then referred her to KEM Hospital. The survivor's brothers then lodged a complaint with the RCF police.
Doctors from gynaecology and forensic medicine carried out a thorough examination. "The possibility of sexual assault cannot be ruled out. We collected the samples and preserved it but the police are yet to collect it from us," said Dr Harish Pathak, head, forensic medicine. Another doctor said they also found redness and inflammation in the child's private parts. The girl's mother said the survivor has recovered. "We are not sending her to the anganwadi," she said.
Inspector Machindra Throve said Pawar has been charged with rape. He is in police custody.
Please remember to pray my 3:15 PM prayer.
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| Chembur |
The incident took place on January 20 when the survivor went to the anganwadi, near her house in Vishnu Nagar to play, unaware that it was shut. Anganwadi workers are on strike for higher pay. The word Anganwadi means "courtyard shelter" in Hindi. They were started by the Indian government in 1975 as part of the Integrated Child Development Services program to combat child hunger and malnutrition in pre-school children. A typical Anganwadi centre also provides basic health care in Indian villages. It is a part of the Indian public health-care system.
She returned home in less than 30 minutes "crying and petrified". Her mother said, "She rushed home like somebody was chasing her. She told me the boy touched her inappropriately. He also offered her a Re 1 coin and switched on the TV to distract her".
The child had been going to the anganwadi, which operates out of a rented place, since the past one-and-half-years. She also knew the accused, Krishna Pawar (20), an auto driver and son of the anganwadi premises owner. The survivor or her mother didn't know the anganwadi was shut as the sevikas have been on a strike for a while.
The mother—unsure about how to deal with the incident—took her to a local doctor but did not reveal the details as to why the child had abdominal pain. She also hid it from her husband and two sons in their 20s, fearing that her family's reputation and the child's future will be affected. It was only when the pain persisted that the mother revealed the details to the doctor, who then referred her to KEM Hospital. The survivor's brothers then lodged a complaint with the RCF police.
Doctors from gynaecology and forensic medicine carried out a thorough examination. "The possibility of sexual assault cannot be ruled out. We collected the samples and preserved it but the police are yet to collect it from us," said Dr Harish Pathak, head, forensic medicine. Another doctor said they also found redness and inflammation in the child's private parts. The girl's mother said the survivor has recovered. "We are not sending her to the anganwadi," she said.
Inspector Machindra Throve said Pawar has been charged with rape. He is in police custody.
Please remember to pray my 3:15 PM prayer.
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