The State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (SCPCR) questioned the staff of the village sachivalayam, Primary Health Centre (PHC), and the Women Development and Child Welfare (WD&CW) Department of Eluru district, over the alleged negligence in the case related to the sexual abuse of two minor girls by their stepfather in Vatluru village.
The accused, with the connivance of his wife, was sexually abusing the girls for the last five years at their home. The elder daughter was impregnated for the first time in 2019, when she was 13 years old, and the pregnancy was terminated. She was again impregnated by her stepfather in 2021, and this time she gave birth to a female baby.
Her younger sister, aged about 15 years, delivered a stillborn baby at home, and the accused reportedly dumped the body in a canal.
The family used to take ration from the local Anganwadi centre and would avail medical treatment at the local PHC by enrolling the name of the children’s grandmother in the records.
However, the WD&CW, Sachivalayam and the Medical and Health Departments staff were reportedly unaware of the crime, and the brutal act of the stepfather came to light only after the younger daughter lodged a complaint with the Eluru Disha Mahila Police on July 12.
Responding to news items published in The Hindu, which reported that the couple had stopped sending the children to school for fear of their crimes coming to light, SCPCR served notices on the officers and staff directing them to appear before the Commission on August 4 (Friday).
Commission members B. Padmavathi, T. Adi Lakshmi, J. Rajendra Prasad and G. Seetaram on Friday asked how staff of various departments were oblivious to the crime that had been going on for at least five years.
“Why did the Anganwadi and the PHC staff enter the name of the grandmother, instead of the children’s mother, and continue to give ration and medical treatment?” Ms. Padmavathi asked the employees.
The Commission questioned the officers of the concerned departments regarding the action taken against the responsible staff. The case has been posted to August 17, said Mr. Seetaram.
