Police have launched a search for the body of an inmate of a state-funded shelter home for girls here who was allegedly beaten to death by staff members.
Senior Superintendent of Police, Muzaffarpur, Harpreet Kaur, said the allegation was leveled by one of the inmates while her statement was being recorded by a magistrate. Following this, a search has begun for the body of the girl, said to have died of injuries caused by beating.
The shelter home has been sealed for over a a month now following reports of sexual exploitation.
"The matter came to light during recording of statements under Section 154 of the Criminal Procedure Code. One of the girls alleged that the inmates were often beaten up by staff members of the shelter home and one of them even died as a result of the injuries thus caused, Kaur told PTI over phone.
We are now trying to trace the body which is essential to verify the girls allegation. Once the body is found, additional charges may be framed against those who are already arrested in connection with the happenings at the shelter home, she added.
Sexual exploitation of inmates at the shelter home had come to light more than a month ago in a report of a Mumbai-based social science institute which had conducted an audit of the state-funded establishment run by an NGO.
More than 10 people, including all staff members of the shelter home and some government officials, have so far been arrested in this connection while all the inmates have been shifted to other districts.
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