Gaya adoption centre director, 4 others held for child abuse

GAYA: Five persons, including the director and two women staff of a government-funded adoption centre at Lakhibagh in

Bihar’s Gaya district (https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Gaya-district), were arrested on Saturday on charges of child

abuse. The accused have been booked under Sections 6 and 9 of Pocso Act and Sections 34 and 120(B) of IPC and sent to jail.

Unclaimed and abandoned children were kept at the centre run by an NGO, ECOVIK. It has now been sealed and its 13 inmates

shifted to other facilities located in Munger and Nalanda (https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Nalanda) districts, Gaya SSP

Rajiv Mishra (https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Rajiv-Mishra) said. “The inmates were medically examined before they

were shifted,” he added. As per government records, there are 24 adoption centres across Bihar

(https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/bihar) for unclaimed/abandoned children, who are handed over to people desirous of

adopting a child. As per reports, a US couple had adopted a girl inmate of the Lakhibagh centre a few months ago

When the girl complained of “problems” in her private parts, the couple sought medical help. Doctors in the US examined her

and opined she was earlier abused.

The couple contacted the Indian embassy following which the Child Welfare Department officials inspected the adoption centre

on Saturday. SHO Rupesh Kumar Sinha said a senior official of the state Social Welfare Department was the complainant in the

case.

Sources said, besides the alleged child abuse, the centre’s officials have also been found involved in fraudulent misuse of

government funds received to run the facility.

In December last year, death penalty was prescribed for

offences committed under Section 6 of the Pocso Act.

(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme Court directives on cases related to sexual

assault)

)