Probe into sexual abuse of mentally-challenged girls demanded

Several organisations and a special school today demanded a judicial probe into the alleged sexual exploitation of mentally-challenged girl inmates at a Jammu shelter, as student rallies seeking capital punishment for the accused crisscrossed different parts of the city.
Aasra Special School, a research and rehabilitation centre for mentally and physically challenged children and the Jammu and Kashmir Confederation of Voluntary Social and Charitable Organisations today appealed to the civil society, voluntary organisations and NGOs to join hands and press the government for ordering a judicial probe into the incident.
Alleging that influential people were involved in this shameful act, general secretary of the Confederation S S Bali said, "A judicial probe will help unearth the facts, acts of commission and omission in this sordid episode which has brought blot on the name of a responsible society."

Seeking severe punishment for the culprits, Bali said the girls should be taken into government custody for lifelong rehabilitation.
The director and a guard of the home for mentally-challenged children were arrested yesterday on charges of sexually abusing five girl inmates of the shelter in Channi Rama area of Jammu.